Final Fantasy 8: The Story
by Emerald Princess of Vernea
Summary: The first instalment of a complete novelisation of Final Fantasy VIII. This instalment covers the first disc of the game. See Instalments 2 and 3 for the rest of the story. Please read and review!
1. Prologue

_**DISCLAIMER**_

_Emerald, Princess of Vernea, does not own Final Fantasy 8 and is not associated with it or its creators in any way. This is a novelisation of the game and Emerald only lays claim to the written form and original scenes and dialogue that do not appear in the game. Everything else is copyrighted to SquareEnix, the creators of Final Fantasy 8._

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* * *

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**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Prologue**

_I'll be here…_

_Why…?_

_I'll be 'waiting'… here…_

_For what?_

_I'll be waiting… for you… so…_

_If you come here…_

_You'll find me._

_I promise._

Rinoa Heartilly stood at the heart of a vast, flowery field. It was a beautifully crisp and clear day, just like it was the first time she came to this place. The flowers were in full bloom, filling the fields with splashes of colour. A gentle breeze was blowing through the field, carrying with it the sweet scent of the flowers. The sky was a vibrant blue with only a few light and wispy clouds that moved slowly over the land. Just like it was back then…

The young woman ran a hand through her long, dark hair, brushing the strands away from her face. The breeze grew stronger, pulling numerous petals from the flowers and sending them swirling through the air around her. It was as though she was shrouded in a cloud of flying petals, and she watched in awe as the petals went soaring into the sky, dancing on the wind.

Rinoa held out her hand. A petal floated over and landed in her open palm, drawn to her by some mystical force. Rinoa closed her hand over it, holding it in her palm. When she opened her hand the petal was gone… replaced by a small, white feather.

The wind blew past her and lifted the feather from her hand. Rinoa watched as the feather, caught on the wind, soared high up into the sky along with the petals. It flew higher and higher, until it vanished amongst the clouds.

The young woman continued to watch the sky long after the feather disappeared into the sky—a sky that was as endless and circular as time. Time… If time truly was a circle, then perhaps that feather would one day find its way back here to this place. She wondered where its journey would take it. Into the future… or into the past?

That was a question that only time itself could answer.

* * *

When Squall arrived at the Balamb Training Grounds it was not yet raining. The sky overhead was dark and thick with storm clouds, but there were a few patches where the clouds broke and the night sky could be seen. As the first drops of rain began to fall, Squall closed his eyes and let them fall on his face, drenching his brown hair. The rain grew heavier. He listened to its repetitive rhythm as the raindrops splashed onto his leather jacket, soaking the fur collar and dripping from his gloved fingers onto the stone ground.

Squall opened his eyes. Standing across from him was a tall young man with short blond hair that was brushed back over his head and pressed flat by the rain. His long grey trenchcoat was slick with water, but the rain did not bother him. If anything it was a bonus, a challenge to overcome. The young man raised his weapon—a long, steel-bladed sword that had a gun in place of a hilt—and pointed it at Squall.

Squall grabbed hold of his own sword and pulled it out of the ground. The image of a legendary lion was carved into the side of the blade, along with a matching keychain dangling from the hilt. Squall also wore a heavy metal necklace with that very same lion around his neck. Holding his sword with both hands, Squall charged at his opponent. The blond man waited a moment before he charged as well.

The two young men clashed blades and the air became filled with the sounds of battle. The blond man had superb skill with a sword—they both did, fighting with equal skill and vigour. Squall raised his sword and brought it down. His opponent dodged it smoothly and ran past him. Squall turned. The blond man was standing behind him with his sword resting against his shoulder. With a mocking smile on his face he gestured for Squall to come at him again.

Squall did as he bade and charged. Again and again the two men crossed blades, swiping and slashing and stabbing, each one trying to catch the other off-guard. His opponent thrust his blade forward in a stabbing blow, narrowly missing Squall. Squall then brought his blade down again, but his opponent caught the blow easily on the flat side of his sword. They pushed against each other, but his opponent came out stronger and pushed him back.

The blond man swiped his sword across him and Squall ducked down to avoid the blow. He was then forced to jump back out of the way as another blow came whizzing past. The rain had stopped at this point but the ground was still slick; Squall could feel his boots slide across the wet ground as he charged forward. He attacked in a ferocious assault, landing numerous hefty blows at his opponent. The blond man raised his sword and blocked every one of the blows, letting them ring off his sword.

Seeing that he was getting nowhere with a direct assault, Squall jumped back once again. He decided to try using magic to distract his opponent, and then strike while his attention was diverted. Squall charged forward with his hand held out, calling on the magic stored within him.

However the blond man had thought of this, too, and was already making his move. Flames began to swirl around his outstretched hand, gathering into a ball in the palm of his hand. The flames glowed white-hot before firing out at Squall. Squall barely had time to raise his sword to defend himself before the magic hit him. He was thrown clean off his feet and fell onto the wet ground. Steam rose from his clothes as the heat from the rapidly vanishing flames caused the raindrops to evaporate.

Before him, his opponent smiled smugly. This battle was his, and he knew it.

Squall grunted and climbed onto his knees. A shadow fell over him and he looked up to find his opponent standing over him. The blond man's blue eyes looked down on him almost cruelly as he raised his blade over his head, preparing to strike. For the first time in his life Squall froze, staring, as his opponent brought the blade down. It sliced across his face, cutting a long but shallow gash down his forehead and onto his cheek.

He felt the warmth of blood on his face. As he watched it spilled onto the ground in front of him, forming a puddle. Squall stared in shock for a brief moment before his eyes narrowed angrily. He glared up at his opponent, standing in front of him with Squall's blood on his blade. He was still smiling.

Anger welled up within Squall. He stood, his boot sliding on the ground, and swung his blade. The tip scraped across the ground as he brought it up and slashed it across the face of his opponent, who only had time to tilt his head back. The blade slashed across his opponent's face in the same manner. Blood spilled down Squall's blade.

Then… everything went white.


	2. Part 01: Chapter 01

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Part One: The SeeD Exam**

**Chapter One**

When Squall opened his eyes, he found himself lying on his back in the Infirmary. A cool breeze was blowing in from the open window, making the curtains over his bed flutter. Light streamed in from outside; it was morning. From his position on the bed he could just about see the blue sky, and watched as a few small clouds drifted by. The storm had passed, it seemed.

Squall turned his eyes away from the window and looked up at the ceiling. He felt something tight wrapped around his head—probably a bandage. How did he get back from the training grounds? He couldn't remember. The last thing he remembered was falling onto the ground, and then everything had gone black. Squall tried to sit up, but as he moved a sharp pain shot through his head. He grunted and clenched his fists, gritted his teeth against the pain. When the pain passed he relaxed and exhaled slowly. He heard footsteps enter the room and a voice spoke to him.

"How are you feeling?"

Pushing the pain to the back of his mind, Squall forced himself to sit up. His vision swam and there was a piercing pain behind his left eye. It shot through his head and made him feel sick. Squall put his hand to his head and closed his eyes for a moment. He felt the bandage, wrapped tightly around his head.

"…Ok," he replied.

The pain started to ease and Squall dared to open his eyes again. He looked up at the person standing beside the bed. It was Dr Kadowaki, Balamb Garden's resident doctor and counsellor. She was middle-aged and very jolly looking, and was very well liked by the rest of the student body. Dr Kadowaki's doors were always open to those with some complaint or another, or to those just in need of a friendly ear. She had a temper, though, and spoke her mind without reservation. She looked like she had a few words for Squall, for her brows came together and she frowned at him.

"Take it easy next time, you hear?" she said sternly, waving her finger at him. Squall said nothing. The doctor leaned over and examined his face carefully. "Looks like your eyes are focusing," she said. "You should be fine. Say your name for me."

"Squall."

Dr Kadowaki stood up straight and nodded her head. When she first saw the wound, she had feared potential concussion. But like she said, Squall's eyes were focusing and, aside from a little drowsiness left over from the sleeping draught she had administered, he seemed to be thinking clearly. That would pass quickly enough, though she guessed he would have a headache for a while.

"Why don't you take it easy in training?" said Dr Kadowaki, her tone softer now she was assured her patient was going to be fine. "Next time you might not be so lucky."

Once again Squall touched his forehead. "Tell that to Seifer."

Kadowaki sighed and shook her head. Her other patient had left the Infirmary earlier that morning, after adamantly refusing to wear his bandage. "That Seifer…" she said. "Won't listen to anyone. Why don't you ignore him?"

Ignore him…? Like a frightened child fleeing from the local school bully? "I can't just run away," Squall replied.

Kadowaki sighed a second time. "You wanna be cool, huh?" The reproachful look returned. "Well, don't get hurt in the process. Let's see, your instructor is…" She crossed her arms, thinking. "Quistis! I'll call her now. Just wait here a minute."

Dr Kadowaki then left the room and went over to her desk just outside. The Infirmary was only a small building with one or two beds. Rather than having her own private office, Dr Kadowaki chose to have her desk in the main room in full view of all the beds. This, she felt, gave the sick or injured students the comfort of knowing that she was always visible if they needed her. Each room could be closed if a student wanted privacy, but in general all the rooms were left open.

Squall lay back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. The pain was easing, but it still hurt to move a lot. He heard Dr Kadowaki pick up the phone and dial the number for the instructor's office. After a few rings someone answered and Kadowaki spoke.

"Quistis? Come get your student. Yes, yes… His injury's not serious. It'll probably leave a scar. …Right. Now please come by." The doctor then hung up and sat at her desk to write up the incident report.

Squall, meanwhile, continued to look up at the ceiling. He sighed and draped his hand over his face, blocking out the sunlight that made his head hurt. A scar… At least that was all that it would leave. A scar was nothing. Getting injured was a risk everybody took when they picked up a weapon, whether it was a sword or a gun. There was no use wasting time worrying over it. Besides, Squall was not vain like some other students. It mattered little to him if he had a scar or not.

He was so busy thinking that he did not hear the Infirmary door open. A young woman in her early twenties walked in, moving so quietly that even Dr Kadowaki did not seem to notice her come in. The woman was tall and slender, almost fragile-looking. She had a kind, gentle face and soft, brown eyes, with dark hair that was cut short and framed her face. She was dressed in a sky blue top and a long cream skirt that went almost down to her ankles, and she had a green shawl draped around her elbows and around her back.

The woman walked through the Infirmary to the room where Squall lay resting. She did not go into the room but walked around to the side window. She leaned over and peered in at him. When she saw him she smiled fondly.

"Squall…" she said. "So we meet again."

Hearing her voice, Squall lifted his arm and turned his head towards her. He stared at her, and his brow creased in confusion. Who was this woman? There was something strangely familiar about her, though Squall was sure he had not seen her before. The woman looked back at him, smiled once more, and then turned and left the Infirmary as quietly as she had come. Squall put the woman out of his mind and let his hand fall over his eyes again, returning to his thoughts.

A few minutes later the Infirmary door opened again, and another young woman walked in. The woman was dressed in the full SeeD military uniform and wore the badge of an instructor pinned to her lapel. Her blonde hair had been pulled up and clipped neatly behind her head. Her blue eyes were bright and intelligent, and she wore a pair of reading glasses that she had forgotten to take off. She strode confidently into the Infirmary and stopped outside of Squall's room. When she saw the teenager lying on the bed with bandages around his head and his arm over his eyes, she sighed and shook her head. Her name was Quistis.

Quistis walked into the room and stopped beside the bed. Squall did not seem to notice her at first, for he was lost in thought. She leaned over.

"I knew it'd be either you or Seifer!" she said. Hearing her voice, Squall pushed himself up. The pain did not hit him as bad this time and he was able to sit up without feeling too dizzy. Quistis stood up straight and folded her arms over her chest. He seemed all right. She turned towards the door and glanced over her shoulder. "Come on," she said, "let's go. Today's the field exam."

* * *

"Squall. Is there something on your mind?" Quistis asked suddenly.

They were walking down the corridor just outside of the Infirmary. Quistis kept her eyes on Squall, who walked just a few steps ahead of her.

"…Not really."

"…Not really."

Quistis had spoken at the same moment, pre-empting his answer. Squall said nothing and just carried on walking.

As they walked, two female students who were just heading into the Infirmary saw them walking together. The girls looked at each other and giggled. Quistis was eighteen, a year older than Squall, and one of the youngest SeeDs to graduate from Balamb Garden, achieving SeeD status at just fifteen. Three years later she became an instructor at Balamb Garden and was popular with all the students, male and female alike. As such it was very easy for rumours to spread when she was seen in the company of other students like Squall. Nothing malicious, but they were troublesome all the same.

Quistis came to a stop and began to chuckle to herself. Hearing her, Squall also stopped and turned to her. He frowned. "What's so funny?" he asked her.

"Funny?" Quistis repeated. She shook her head. "No, no, it's not that! I feel like I'm beginning to understand my student a little. That's all."

Squall placed his hand on his hip. "I'm more complex than you think," he told her.

"Then tell me. Tell me more about yourself."

Squall turned away from her and started to walk again. Quistis followed close behind, watching him closely.

"It's none of your…"

"…Business!" Quistis finished with a smirk.

They stopped again. Squall remained silent and refused to look at her. Quistis, on the other hand, covered her mouth with her hand, stifling a laugh.

It was no wonder she was pleased. Squall had a reputation for always being on his own, never mixing with the other students. He had a naturally silent and aloof demeanour, which made him appear quite cold and unreadable. He refused to let anybody get close to him, or to understand him. Amongst students and teachers alike, he was described as a lone wolf. So it was very pleasing for Quistis to know that she was able to read his responses just a little bit. Squall was a very good student—one of her best—but she wished he would talk to her more and let her know what was on his mind.

Quelling her laughter, Quistis folded her hands behind her back and carried on walking. Squall waited a moment longer, thinking, before he walked after her. As they walked a loud chime echoed throughout Garden, signalling the beginning of class. Through the windows Squall saw numerous students sitting on the lawns surrounding the main building. When the chime sounded they rose to their feet and headed indoors, rushing to their next class.

The school was known as Balamb Garden, a military academy for students of all ages. Founded just thirteen years ago by its headmaster, Cid Kramer, it provided not only a basic education but also a specialised form of military training. The students who attended the academy all aspired to become a part of Balamb Garden's most elite mercenary force, which was known, aptly, as SeeD.

Only three of these special military academies existed in the world. Balamb Garden was the first to be built, followed by Galbadia Garden in the militaristic nation of Galbadia to the west, and lastly there was Trabia Garden in the snowy regions of the eastern continent. Once trained, SeeDs would be hired and sent out on various kinds of missions all over the world. This was what Squall was currently training for.

On the second floor of the Garden Squall left Quistis to talk to one of her colleagues and hurried on to the classroom. Before he entered the room he removed his bandage and dumped it in a bin. He touched the wound with his fingertips. It had already closed. Dr Kadowaki had worked her healing magic well.

Squall entered the classroom. The room was full. Most of the students were stood about talking amongst themselves, waiting for their instructor to arrive. A few of them turned and stared as Squall entered, looking at the scar on his face. Squall ignored their questioning gazes and walked to his desk at the back of the room.

The classroom doors opened again and Quistis entered the classroom. "Good morning, class," she said.

The students broke up and took their seats. Quistis waited until everyone was seated before she headed towards her own desk at the very front of the room. "Let's start with today's schedule," she said, pulling out her chair.

Once she was sat down, Quistis raised her head and addressed the students. "There seem to have been some rumours flying around since yesterday…" she began. "Yes, the field exam for SeeD candidates will begin later this afternoon."

Murmurs and gasps of surprise began to ripple throughout the classroom. Some students looked at each other in alarm, and one girl had to stop herself from crying out. Quistis raised her voice to be heard over the shocked whispers.

"Those not participating and those who failed last week's written test are to remain here in the study hall. Field exam participants will have free time until the exam. Just be sure you're in top condition. Meet in the hall at 1600 hours. I'll announce the team assignments there. Any questions?" She looked around the room. Nobody spoke. Quistis's gaze drifted until she located a certain figure lurking at the back of the room. "Oh, and Seifer!"

Sitting at the desk directly next to Squall was Seifer, the young man he had been training with—the one who had injured him. Seifer was still dressed in his long white trenchcoat, and had a scar that ran in opposition to Squall's, along the other side of his face. Like Squall he had removed the bandages hiding the wound. He did not hide his injury, but wore it like a badge of honour. He looked up at Instructor Trepe.

Quistis scowled. "Do NOT injure your partner while training. Be careful from now on."

Seifer glanced to his left and looked at Squall. The teenager's head was fixed on his computer; he did not appear to be listening. Seifer looked back at Quistis, who fixed him with a stern stare. Seifer scowled back at her and then slammed his fist on the desk in retaliation. He then leaned back in his chair, and let it go at that.

Quistis took a breath and sighed, before returning her attention to the rest of the classroom. "Field exam participants, I will see you all later."

The instructor then waved her hand, dismissing the class. Seifer got up first, storming out of the classroom. The other students followed. Out of all the students attending class that day, only Squall and Seifer were not wearing the standard blue uniform that the other students wore. After being in the infirmary all morning, Squall did not have the time to change.

As for Seifer… he never wore his uniform. His instructors, Quistis included, had tried their best to get him to conform to the Garden's dresscode, but Seifer had adamantly refused. In the end they gave up and let him dress as he pleased. It was a small victory for the man in charge of the Garden's disciplinary committee.

As the students started to pile out of the classroom, Quistis remembered she had one more thing to take care of. She stood up. "And Squall, I need to talk to you," she said, before going over to a group of students waiting for her by the door.

Squall waited a few moments while the students exited the room before he left his desk and went over to Quistis. As he approached the three students—fans of Quistis, by the look of them—quickly left and hovered by the door, watching him closely. Quistis pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and looked at Squall intently.

"You haven't been to the Fire Cavern yet, have you?" she asked. Squall didn't answer, just shook his head. Quistis folded her arms. "You won't be able to take part in today's SeeD exam if you don't pass this prerequisite," she told him.

Squall crossed his arms and looked away from her. _I was gonna go this morning,_ he thought to himself. _But Seifer…_

"Do you have a good excuse?"

Once again, Squall shook his head. "…Not really."

"Then let's get going." Quistis turned away from him and headed for the door. When she reached it she stopped and glanced back over her shoulder. "If you're not too confident yet," she added, "you can review your studies at the study panel. I'll be waiting at the front gate, so come down when you're ready. You can access the study panel from your seat."

With that she left. The three students loitering at the door went after her, giving Squall envious looks as they left. They were probably jealous that Squall would be alone with Instructor Trepe. Squall sighed. Didn't they have anything better to do?

Squall went back to his desk and sat down. He did not really need to go over his studies, but it never hurt to have another look.

Once he was done, Squall turned off his computer and left the classroom. The upper corridor was empty. Despite Quistis's instructions, the students who had failed the written test had taken this chance to slip away. Squall walked slowly down the corridor, revelling in the silence.

Just as he reached the turnoff for the lift, Squall heard the sound of running footsteps approaching. A girl's voice carried down the corridor, growing louder.

"I'm late, I'm late, I'M LATE!"

A short, brown-haired girl appeared from around the corner, head down and arms swinging as she charged forward. She was moving so fast that she did not see Squall until the last moment, but it was too late for her to stop. She slammed into him.

"Waaah!" she cried. Thrown off-balance, she fell back onto the floor.

Squall, meanwhile, staggered back. He recovered quickly, maintaining his balance. He looked down at the girl, kneeling on the floor.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

The girl looked to be about Squall's age, about seventeen or so, but had the appearance and demeanour of someone much younger. She had shoulder-length brown hair that was turned out at the ends and large, playful blue eyes. Those large eyes looked up at Squall and the girl grinned sheepishly, blushing in embarrassment. Daintily she rose to her feet.

"There," she said, as she brushed herself off. She laughed. "I'm fine. Sorry, I was kinda in a hurry." She laughed again. Her laugh was so dainty and childlike that Squall raised an eyebrow. The girl's eyes then widened as she suddenly remembered something. "Oh yeah! Hey, did you just come from that class?" she asked, stretching up to see over Squall's shoulder. "Is… Registration over?"

Squall nodded.

The girl's face fell. "Woo… oh, nooo…" she cried in dismay. "This place is soooo much bigger than my last Garden!"

Squall raised his eyebrow again. 'Last Garden'? Did that mean that this girl had come from another Garden, like Galbadia or Trabia Garden? Now that he thought about it, her accent was different, and Squall did not recall seeing her before. Not that he remembered many faces. There were so many students here at Garden, and Squall was not one to make a point of remembering every face he saw. He wondered which of the two Gardens the girl had come from.

The girl looked around helplessly, trying to figure out what she should do. Then her eyes brightened and she turned to Squall. "Oh, hey, hey. I just transferred here. Do you think you could give me a quick tour of this Garden?" She looked up at him pleadingly.

Squall sighed and put his hand on his waist. Was this girl for real? She had a childish charm about her, and an air of innocence that seemed too out of place for a military academy. He wondered why she was part of a military academy in the first place. She likely felt that it was some kind of game, playing soldier. Still, she was here, and there was no reason why he couldn't show her around.

"Sure," he said, turning back to her.

The girl jumped up and clapped her hands together. "Whoo-hoo!" she cheered. "Alright, let's go!"

Squall ignored her cheers. "We'll take the lift to the 1F lobby and I'll show you the directory."

With that Squall walked past her and headed down the corridor towards the lift. He did not look back to see if she was following him. He could hear her though; her footsteps echoed lightly down the corridor.

The interior of Garden was built in a large circle, with a single lift in the central pillar that connected all of the floors. Squall punched the button to call the lift up to the 2F. As he waited for the lift to come up, he glanced over his shoulder at the girl. She was stood patiently behind him, her hands clasped behind her back, rocking gently on her heels. Squall wondered how a girl like her had ever come to be in Garden, or why she transferred here from her previous one. Still, it was none of his business.

The lift beeped as it arrived, and the doors slid open. Squall entered the lift and the girl came in close behind him. They went down to the 1F and stepped out into the lobby. Squall pointed down the steps to a large computer console situated in the middle of the lobby.

"That's the directory."

They walked down to the directory. Squall pressed a button and called up a basic layout of the 1F of Balamb Garden. The girl's eyes widened as she stared down at it.

"Well, this is it," said Squall. "Balamb Garden is pretty big, so it's a good idea to check where you want to go."

"I have a question!" the girl piped up suddenly, raising her hand as though she was in class. "How do you use this?"

Squall gave her a brief explanation on how the console worked. Touching the console would call up a map of the Garden, and then touching each location would give her a brief description of each one, as well as a list of Garden staff who worked there. Most new students were required to familiarise themselves with the Garden directory.

"Next, I'll give a quick explanation of the various facilities."

"Yes, sir!" The girl saluted.

Squall sighed inwardly. Was this girl always this perky? "You'll find the dormitory to the north," he said. "The majority of the students live in the dorms. There aren't too many students who commute."

"Yeah, I'm in the dorms, too!"

"You can rest and change in there," Squall continued, ignoring her. "West of the North Block is the cafeteria. There's always a big rush for the hot dogs. You better get used to waiting in line."

"Got it!"

"East of the North Block is the Car Park. We usually take the Garden care when a mission comes up. The front gate is located to the south…"

Squall stopped as he suddenly remembered the very important thing he had forgotten to do. _That's right…_ he thought. _I have to go meet Instructor Trepe at the front gate._ He frowned, his finger hovering over the console.

The girl, sensing something was wrong, looked up at him. "Hm? What's the matter?"

"Nothing…" Squall replied hurriedly. There was no helping it. Instructor Trepe would just have to wait a little longer. He turned his attention back to the directory, ignoring the brown-haired girl's puzzled face. "Next we have the quad, located in the West Block. There's an event being planned there…"

"I know! I know!" the girl interrupted. She clapped her hands, her puzzlement gone. "It's the Garden Festival! It's going to be great! I'm planning to be on the committee. You wanna help out, too!"

Squall rolled his eyes. Somehow, the image of her working on something like the Garden Festival suited her more than on a battlefield. "Let's just continue," he said. "South of the West Block is the infirmary. This is where you get treated for your injuries, but a lot of students just come here for advice."

"What's the doctor's name?"

"Dr Kadowaki. Now for the East Block." He pointed to the other side of the Garden map, indicating the East Block. "This is the training centre. It's the only facility open at night. It's used for training, and they have real monsters running loose here." He turned to the girl and looked at her sternly. "If you don't take it seriously you may end up dead. Just be careful."

His gaze grew sterner. The girl's cheerful smile faded, and she paled a little. "…Okay," she replied. She gulped.

Satisfied that his warning had gotten through to her, Squall carried on. "South of the East Block is the library. There's a lot of material you can look up here, but the terminals in the classroom are a lot more efficient." With everything covered, he closed down the directory. "And you already know about the classroom on the 2F, right?" he asked her.

She nodded. "Yep. I remember that one."

"By the way," Squall added. He turned to her. "The headmaster's office is located on the 3F. You need permission to get in."

"Another question. What's the headmaster's name?"

"Headmaster Cid," Squall answered. He folded his arms, thinking, trying to decide if there was anything else that the girl ought to know. Deciding that there wasn't, he relaxed. "That's about it," he said. "Anything else?"

The girl shook her head. "Got it!" she said. Then she paused, looking thoughtful. "Heeey, um… are you taking today's SeeD exam."

Squall nodded. "Yeah." Of course, that would change if he did not finish the prerequisite test.

The girl did not notice his concern. "Then maybe I'll see you again later," she said. "I've already finished my training at my previous Garden. I'm taking the SeeD exam today, too. Good luck to both of us, huh! Thanks a lot!" She smiled at him, gave him a wave, and then headed off into the Garden.

Squall watched her go. So this girl had already finished her training and was also taking the exam. She was obviously stronger than she appeared to be, if she was taking the exam. The SeeD selection exam—designed to identify future SeeD—was a tough and gruelling one. Only the very best would be selected.

Putting the girl out of his mind for now, Squall hurried to the front gate. Instructor Trepe would be growing impatient, and he needed to pass the prerequisite so that _he_ could take part in the exam.

Quistis was already waiting for him, leaning against the rail beside the road. The instructor had changed out of her SeeD uniform and into her usual travelling attire—a red top and long red leather skirt, boots and arm-length gloves. She also had her weapon with her: a chain whip, which she had attached to her belt on a clip for easy access. There were very few whipmasters in Garden, and it was one of the reasons why Quistis had been able to graduate and become a SeeD so young, along with her exceptional talents on the battlefield.

When she spotted Squall, Quistis pushed herself away from the rail. "I have a few things to explain before we head off," she began. She folded her arms, her usual posture when she was in 'instructor-mode'. "GF give us strength. The stronger the GF, the stronger we become… Respect them and they will be your strength in battle."

She was referring to Guardian Forces, or GF, for short. Guardian Forces were magical beings that fought alongside humans in battle. Although their presence was discovered years ago, it was only discovered eighteen years ago that their powers could be harnessed to human minds. This harnessing allowed the GF to be called forth from its normal plane of existence and fight alongside a summoner in battle. Once harnessed to a GF, the summoner was able to use para-magic.

There were uncountable types of Guardian Forces in the world. Many gave their powers willingly to humans, eager to join forces. Others were more resistant and had to be defeated in battle before lending a summoner their powers. Some GF resided in the souls of enemies or even other humans, waiting for their powers to be awakened. These GF could be harnessed by the summoner they resided in or drawn to another person entirely, transferring their powers to another. Quite often these summoners did not even know they had a GF sleeping inside them. There were all of these GFs and more—the list was endless.

The prerequisite test, as Quistis had explained during one seminar, was to obtain the power of a very specific GF known as Ifrit. Ifrit was a fire-elemental GF who resided deep in the Fire Cavern to the east of Balamb Garden. Any student who hoped to take the SeeD exam had to enter the Fire Cavern and engage Ifrit in battle. Once defeated Ifrit would harness his mind to that of the summoner, and would loyally answer the summoner's calls anytime he or she needed him. The summoning of GF was a trademark of SeeD, which was why the test was so important.

"Everything okay up till now?" Quistis asked as she finished her explanation on how to call a GF. "You can always check back."

Squall remained silent. He did not need to check back. Knowing this, Quistis nodded her head. Squall nodded silently back. Quistis nodded once more. They were ready to leave.

"Once we get to the Fire Cavern," she said, "I'll explain how to junction magic. Be sure to have some stocked! Ready to go? The Fire Cavern used for the test is located east of here."

* * *

_**A Note from the Authoress**_

_Well everyone, as promised, here is the start of my new novelisation: Final Fantasy VIII. I had a lovely holiday in Florida, celebrating the completion of my Final Fantasy VII novel, which took me six years to complete. But now the holiday is over and it's back to work! Hopefully it won't take me six years to finish this one!_

_To anyone who is new to my stories, I make use of the original game script when novelising the games. This method was received very well in my Final Fantasy 7 novel, which was very pleasing, and so I decided to continue this into my Final Fantasy 8 novel. Hopefully the experience I gathered writing Final Fantasy 7 will reflect more in this new novelisation, which has been calling to me for a while._

_I already have five chapters of the story drafted up on paper. I spent a lot of time working on it while I was on holiday (couldn't keep away from it, hah!)._

_Just before I went away I submitted a couple of sample chapters of my Final Fantasy 7 novel to the Square Enix offices in London. I don't hold much hope of publication, but since I spent such a long time writing the story, I didn't see the harm in at least submitting it. If by chance it were accepted I'd have to put this story on hold while I redraft the Final Fantasy 7 novel, since the first instalment in particular is in real need of work (was recently described as being like a movie script… which it essentially was. It was six years ago when I started, after all!). But since there is little chance of that, I'm free to work on Final Fantasy 8._

_Well, enough babble from me. I really hope you all enjoy this new novelisation! And as always, if you have any critique or you notice any spelling or grammatical errors (I almost accidentally called Squall 'Cloud' at one point—force of habit) then do tell me. I'm a stickler for accuracy so if you notice anything horrendously wrong, please let me know so I can correct it!_

_Enjoy!_

_~Emerald Princess of Vernea_


	3. Part 01: Chapter 02

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Two**

It was gone midday by the time Squall and Quistis arrived at the Fire Cavern. They were forced to take the long way around, as a warning had been issued saying that T-Rexaurs were currently roaming the borders of Balamb Forest. Not wanting to get into unnecessary trouble, they took the road instead, following until they reached the turnoff to the port town of Balamb. Then they left the road and headed east, keeping themselves a safe distance from the forest.

Monsters were abundant in the Alcauld Plains around Balamb Garden, one of the reasons why it was a perfect training area for SeeD candidates. The majority of weaker monsters, like Caterchipillars and Bug Bites, tended to stay away from towns. These provided excellent battle experience for students not too confident in their abilities. Others, such as the vicious T-Rexaur, were more aggressive, and sometimes strayed a little too near for comfort.

Luckily for Squall and Quistis there were few monsters out that morning, so they were able to reach the Fire Cavern without interruption. They stopped on the path leading up to the cavern's entrance. Guarding the entrance were two members of the Garden staff, preventing any unauthorised entry. The Fire Cavern was under Balamb Garden's jurisdiction, and no one outside of Garden was allowed to enter.

"Okay…" said Quistis, slipping into instructor-mode again. "Junctioning magic. Now pay attention. I'll be explaining how to utilise the magic you have stocked."

Squall listened as she explained the basics of storing magic and using it in battle. He knew most of this already; it was fundamental training when becoming part of SeeD.

Like physical effort, Quistis explained, magic was not an endless source of power. It could be built up, used, and depleted. Magical energy could be drawn from enemies, draining their own energy, and storing that energy in the wielder's body. Sometimes a wielder could discover a new magic whilst drawing energy from an enemy.

Once used up, the wielder had to either draw more energy, or rest to recover. This para-magic, as it was known, was different to the advanced magicks used by the sorceresses, who could draw seemingly endless power from an unknown, higher source. Harnessing a Guardian Force gave the normal people of the world the ability to use magic. It was this knowledge and use of Guardian Forces and para-magic that made SeeD such a valuable and formidable asset in battle. Their skill was equal to any military force, but unlike the military, they could be hired for any use.

"When you draw a new magic," Quistis concluded, "try experimenting with it when you junction. This is how you become stronger. Okay, ready to go? Oh!" She looked at Squall. "You know how to use your gunblade?"

Squall knew she was only asking out of propriety, but he sighed all the same. "…I already know," he replied.

"Oh, okay," said Quistis. "I was just concerned, that's all." She paused a moment, thinking, and then nodded her head. "Alright, let's go!"

They walked purposefully down the path. When they neared the entrance the two faculty members, dressed in white shirts, red dungarees and large, domed yellow hats that shielded their faces, drew together and blocked the entrance. One of them stepped forward and turned to Squall.

"Objective: to obtain a low-level GF. A SeeD member must support. Are you ready?"

"Yes," replied Squall. He stood at attention and performed the SeeD salute, drawing his hand up vertically just below his face. "I'm ready."

"I'm his support," Quistis said. She also saluted. "Instructor No. 14, Quistis Trepe."

The Garden Faculty slowly nodded his head, acknowledging that the required conditions had been met. The members of the Garden Faculty were well known within Garden for being sticklers with the rules, and were never lenient.

"Select a time limit. Choose one suited to your abilities. Challenging yet reasonable."

Squall paused to think. Although he was confident in his abilities and could do the test in no more than ten minutes, he did not want to risk failing and being unable to take the exam. Mistakes could occur at any time. So, just to be safe, he selected a time limit of thirty minutes. Behind him Quistis nodded, approving his choice.

"Very well." The Faculty nodded. "Good luck."

The two faculty members then parted, unblocking the entrance. The one who had spoken took down a stopwatch hanging from a hook embedded in the cliff wall and set it to thirty minutes. He handed it to Quistis. The instructor set it going and attached it to her belt. Then she and Squall hurried into the Fire Cavern.

* * *

The first thing Squall noticed about the Fire Cavern was the heat. It was intensely hot, almost suffocating, and the air carried the faint scent of sulphur. The heat rose from the numerous pools and rivers of molten lava that moved sluggishly throughout the cavern. Every so often the lava would bubble and burst, sending a fresh wave of toxic gas into the air.

About eighty years previous, a powerful earthquake shook the land and caused the caverns inside the mountain to collapse. As the caverns fell, magma surged up from beneath the planet's surface. It was said that it was this earthquake that had awoken the GF Ifrit from his long slumber at the heart of the planet. It was also said that it was Ifrit's continuing presence that caused the lava to keep flowing, never cooling.

Since the earthquake, new tunnels had been made inside the Fire Caverns, formed by the liquid rock that continued to flow even now throughout the mountains. These tunnels wound their way all through the cavern to Ifrit's Lair, which was close to the cavern entrance. It was through these tunnels that Squall and Quistis now travelled, hurrying towards Ifrit's Lair.

"My job is to support you in battle," Quistis told Squall as they ran. "Everything else is up to you."

Squall did not look back. "Fine."

They hurried on. Overhead, a large red bat dropped down from the ceiling and swooped across the cavern. It screeched; a terrifying, ear-piercing sound. Squall put his hand on the hilt of his gunblade, his eyes following the bat. These monsters were vicious and had a nasty bite. However, the bat did not come any closer and headed off into the shadows above. Squall relaxed his hand and carried on running.

"You know," said Quistis casually after a minute or so, as they turned around a bend, "the boys often choke on this test when I come with them." She grinned. "I guess my charm makes them nervous."

Squall stopped. He turned and looked at Quistis, standing behind him, her expression playfully innocent, just like that other girl. _…Whatever_, he thought.

Seeing his serious face, Quistis laughed. "I'm just kidding!" she said. "Trying to keep you relaxed, that's all."

Squall's serious face did not change. Quistis laughed again. Something then caught her eye and she looked over Squall's shoulder. Her smile vanished in an instant and her hand rushed to her whip. Seeing her move, Squall turned around.

Coming up rapidly behind him was a Buel, a monster native to the Fire Cavern. It was bat-like in appearance, with a flat, pudgy face and several tiny, pointed teeth. It had three large, leathery wings that framed its body. These wings beat slightly out of unison, making its movements somewhat jerky. Its small red eyes fixed on Squall. It screeched hungrily and surged forward.

Squall drew his gunblade, unhooking the hilt from one of the clasps on his twin belts. He charged at the monster. Quistis released her whip and watched in admiration as Squall met the monster head-on. Without breaking pace, Squall swung his sword and struck the beast. The blade cut through the monster's right wings, severing one and almost cutting right through the other. The severed wing dropped to the floor, its clawed tips twitching.

The monster recoiled, screeching in pain, startled at this sudden attack. It remained hovering even with the loss of its wing, though its movements were more erratic than before. Instead of learning its lesson and backing off, it bared its fangs and lunged again.

Squall thrust out his sword. The blade plunged deep into the monster's face, which made up the majority of its body—apart from its wings. The monster died instantly and dropped to the ground, its wings folding around it. Squall placed his boot on the monster and wrenched his sword free. He sheathed it and looked over at Quistis.

The instructor nodded, satisfied with the efficiency and skill in which Squall had despatched the unpredicted threat.

Leaving the corpse of the Buel behind, they hurried on towards Ifrit's Lair. The lair was located not far from the cavern's entrance, and was surrounded by tall, pointed pillars of rock that rose around it like a protective cocoon. Squall and Quistis came to a stop in front of it and gazed at it. Clouds of hot steam swirled around the lair, partially hiding the inside from view. Quistis turned her eyes on Squall, looking at him appraisingly.

"I guess I was right," she said, mostly to herself. "You and Seifer are in a class of your own. You both have amazing strength and potential." If only Seifer could develop the same self-discipline that Squall had, she added silently to herself.

Squall inclined his head, indicating that he had heard her, but not really caring about what she said. He preferred not to judge things based on strength or potential. All that mattered was getting the job done. Everything else was insignificant.

They headed into Ifrit's Lair, passing through the barrier of steam. The air smelled of sulphur—already Squall could feel its effects on his body. Behind him, Quistis coughed. This was the second reason a time limit was imposed on the test: to complete the test before the sulphuric atmosphere caused harm to the body.

When they passed through the steam the air became clear and easier to breathe. Squall stopped and looked around. The lair was wide, circular, with the rising pillars forming a rocky prison over him. At the centre of the lair was a large pit delving deep into the earth. At the bottom of that pit was where Ifrit resided, sleeping beneath a pool of hot, bubbling lava.

Quistis walked to one of the pillars. She removed the stopwatch and hung it on a peg that had been hammered in. She then picked up a baton and struck a large bronze gong hanging on the same pillar. The dull chime echoed loudly throughout the lair; Squall could feel its vibrations through the ground. Quistis then returned the baton to its peg and came to stand beside Squall.

"Okay, this is it," she said. "Are you ready?" Squall waved a hand, and Quistis smiled. "You seem confident enough."

Steam began to rise from the pit, as the lava below bubbled violently. The smell of sulphur returned, along with another scent: dark and fiery. The lava flow swelled and then surged upwards as a large beast burst out of the pit and landed on the ground in front of Squall and Quistis.

The beast was tall and muscular, with a broad, dark body. His chest was wide and his arms powerful. Two large, jagged horns rose from his head. His head was that of a beast, with narrow, intelligent eyes and a mane of wild, fiery red hair that rippled as he moved, as though it was on fire. Lava dripped like water off his muscles as he stretched up tall, towering over the humans standing before him.

"Another human come to challenge me?" he growled. His voice was deep and rumbled as he spoke. His breath carried the faint scent of sulphur. He looked down at Squall. "Be warned, human, I will not submit easily. If you desire my power, then you will have to prove your worth to me."

Squall responded by drawing his sword. He held the gun shaped hilt in both hands, standing ready for battle. Ifrit then turned his eyes to Quistis. The instructor unhooked her whip and flicked her wrist, cracking the whip against the rock. They were ready. Ifrit looked them both over, and he grinned. He flexed his large muscles, drew himself back, and then charged at Squall.

Squall braced himself for the first blow. He raised his gunblade and guarded his chest as Ifrit struck out with one of his large hands. His fist smashed into the side of Squall's sword. The impact was stronger than Squall expected and he staggered backward, his boots skidding on the rock.

When Squall regained his balance, Ifrit was almost right upon him. The GF had his other fist raised, preparing for a second strike to pummel Squall into the ground. The swordsman hurriedly dived to the left and rolled aside, just as Ifrit's hand hit the ground. The rocky ground cracked from the force of the blow, and tendrils of steam rose up out of the cracks.

Gripping his sword, Squall pushed himself to his feet and charged towards Ifrit. He swung his sword and caught the GF on the back of his shoulder. The blade cut a deep but superficial gash across the flesh, leaving a bloody red line. Ifrit roared, more in irritation than in pain. The GF spun around, his fist raised.

There was a loud _CRACK_ and Ifrit's arm suddenly halted just inches from Squall's face. Ifrit glanced at his arm. It was wrapped in a long, slender whip that was covered in chain links. The GF peered over his shoulder.

Quistis pulled her whip tight, her lips pressed together as she fought against Ifrit's superior strength. Ifrit's yanked his arm forward. The sudden movement caught Quistis off guard and she tumbled forward. Maintaining her grip on her weapon, she gave it a tug. The whip unchained itself from Ifrit's arm, returning to her side. She gave the whip another crack, striking the ground near Ifrit's feet and forcing the GF to jump back. As soon as he landed Ifrit was forced to jump again as Squall darted in front of him, swinging his sword.

"Impudent humans!" Ifrit roared, outraged.

He leaped up into the air. He rose up and up until he reached the top of his lair, where the rising pillars converged. Twisting his body in the air, Ifrit faced the humans standing below him. He drew back his fist, and flames began to flow over it, wreathing it in fire. With a roar the GF descended, heading towards Quistis.

Quistis leaped back barely in time, as Ifrit's fist crashed into the floor. The force of Ifrit's strike caused the rock to shatter, and flames swept over the ground. Both Quistis and Squall retreated to the far edges of the lair as these flames moved rapidly, covering the lair in a layer of red fire. After a few moments the flames dissipated, though the air remained hot.

Moving quickly, before Ifrit could recover, Squall hurried forward. However Ifrit saw him coming and spun to face him, raising another fiery fist. Squall ducked beneath the blow and pushed forward. He swung his sword, and the blade sliced cleanly across Ifrit's bare chest. As the blade moved across the flesh, Squall squeezed the trigger on the gunblade's hilt. There was a flash as a blank round was discharged from the chamber. The empty shot caused the blade to recoil, but the resulting force it gave pushed the blade deeper into Ifrit's chest.

Ifrit roared in pain and clutched at his chest. There were two slashes across his torso: one from the initial strike and the second from the recoil. Ifrit ran a claw over the wound, letting his blood spill across his fingers.

"Hm! Not bad for a human," he said gruffly, somewhat impressed. Very few students had been able to get close enough to land such a blow.

Quistis, who had been walking slowly around the perimeter of the GF's lair, stopped and turned to him. "Does that mean you acquiesce?" she asked him.

Ifrit snorted. He lowered his hand. A few drops of blood fell from his fingernails and onto the hot ground. The blood simmered and burned black. "That, I did not say," the GF retorted. "It will take much more than a few lucky shots to prove your worth!"

To prove his point, Ifrit leaped up into the air again. The GF crossed his arms over his chest, and flames emerged in the air around him. They spread quickly, covering the roof of his lair, creating a barrier of smothering flame. Squall and Quistis could feel the intense heat radiating from above, threatening to burn up all the air in the lair. Squall felt the air start to grow thinner, and he began to pant.

Ifrit then thrust out his arms, and the flames descended in a series of large fireballs towards the humans below.

Squall dodged the first few fireballs as they came sailing past. They struck the ground, causing it to glow with the heat. One fireball came down too close for him to dodge, and so Squall raised his sword and used it to cut right through the flames. The blade glowed as it sliced through, cutting the fireball in two. The flames separated and then flickered out, destroyed.

The swordsman cut through about four of these fireballs when he heard a loud crack behind him. Squall glanced quickly over his shoulder and saw Quistis cracking her whip. The whip's tip flashed brightly as it touched one of the falling fireballs. The fireball shimmered as a casing of ice began to form over it, imprisoning the flames. The flames flickered and then died out. The ice then shattered, falling to the ground in a shower of ice crystals.

A loud roar sounded from above, and Ifrit burst through the flames. He descended on Quistis, whose back was turned, his fists burning as he prepared to strike her down. Squall hurriedly cut through one of the last few fireballs and then darted across the battlefield. He ran between Quistis and Ifrit and raised his gunblade. Ifrit's fist slammed hard into the blade, almost wrenching Squall's arms out of their sockets. Squall grit his teeth but held firm, keeping Ifrit at bay.

Realising that he had once again been blocked, Ifrit jumped back. Clenching one fist, he slammed it angrily into the ground. Then he stepped back, his body bent over, his hands open and claws outstretched, waiting for them to attack.

There was a reason why he waited. Despite his fiery nature, Ifrit was not a wild, untamed beast. Like many other GF, humans intrigued him. He was drawn to those of great strength. When Balamb Garden was founded, the headmaster had entered his lair and sought him out. He had presented the GF a deal: that Ifrit should lend SeeD his powers, and in exchange SeeD would aid in protecting his lair from invaders and plunderers. Ifrit's only condition to the bargain was that he be allowed to engage potential SeeD in battle, to test their strength and see if they were truly worthy of using his powers. That was how the prerequisite test was born, and how it had been for thirteen years.

Right now Ifrit looked at Squall. The teenager was standing in front of Quistis with his sword raised, his face determined. Ifrit noted with interest the scar that ran along Squall's face. Here was a soul that was unafraid. The human faced him without any fear or hesitation, and did not flinch from Ifrit's attacks but embraced them, fighting back with all his strength. Ifrit grinned, pleased. He had not seen many students with this level of potential. To a warrior like this, Ifrit would be glad to lend his powers. Of course, he still had to prove himself.

Squall felt Ifrit's gaze upon him, and met the beast's gaze without faltering. The air around him was beginning to cool, and he could breathe a little easier. Behind him, Quistis watched him closely.

"The clock is still ticking," she warned. She gestured to the stopwatch hanging on the pillar. "You don't have time to dawdle. You need to end this and end it fast. Think about your opponent, and what he is. What do you have within you that will subdue him? If you need a hint," she added with a smile, "his temper could certainly do with some cooling off."

Squall did not respond to her joke. He already knew the answer to defeating Ifrit. He had been reluctant to call upon the GF already harnessed to his mind, wanting to rely on his own strength to beat Ifrit. But with the stopwatch still ticking, he had no alternative but to summon her.

Not willing to wait any longer, Ifrit charged. Squall and Quistis parted, diving out of the way as the beast came lumbering past them. The ground trembled with each step he took, causing the two to almost lose their balance. Ifrit stopped and turned, beginning to run after Squall. He chased the young man around his lair, drawing closer with each great step.

Squall darted past Quistis, who cracked her whip. The end latched around Ifrit's wrist, but with a single tug Ifrit pulled the instructor off her feet. While she was down Ifrit leaped over her and continued charging after Squall.

The GF jumped at Squall's back. The swordsman dropped down to the ground and Ifrit sailed overhead. He landed heavily, claws scraping over the rock. When Squall looked up Ifrit was right in front of him. The GF slowly stretched to his full height, towering over Squall. He stood so close that Squall could feel the heat radiating from his body. Flames licked inside the GF's mouth. Ifrit stood over him, waiting.

Squall rose to his feet. He stood unwavering before Ifrit. The stopwatch continued to tick the time away. There was only five minutes left.

Squall lowered his sword. He closed his eyes and let out a slow breath to calm his mind. He called out with his thoughts, reaching out to the Guardian Force whose power lay sleeping inside of him, waiting to be awakened. When he felt her presence within him he held out his hand, bidding her to surface.

The air around him grew chill. It went from chill to bitterly cold, a harsh change from the stifling heat. His breath came out in small clouds of white and dispersed into the air, forming into tiny ice crystals. These crystals swirled down and touched the ground in front of Squall. They expanded, stretching out over the ground. Squall opened his eyes and jumped back out of the way, just as a large pillar of ice burst up out of the ground.

Encased in the pillar was a woman, barely visible through the layers of ice that shrouded her body. Her arms were crossed over her chest, eyes closed as though in sleep. Recognising her, Ifrit's eyes opened wide and he stepped back in alarm.

"They have Shiva!" he roared.

Upon hearing her name, Shiva's eyes snapped open. She inhaled, and when she breathed out again the ice shattered, releasing her. Her long blonde hair with its icy strands shimmered as it spilled over her bare shoulders and chest. Her body was bare, her modesty hidden only through thin blue layers of ice that rose up in swirling patterns over her legs, waist and torso. Her skin was cold blue and freezing to the touch; it would burn the hands of any who tried to lay hands on her. Her eyes, pale blue, settled on Ifrit.

Ifrit roared and leaped back to the other side of the lava pit, separating himself from Shiva. The GF spread his arms and called up a wall of fire from the pit, which rose up and surrounded him like a shield. Squall and Quistis, who had been rushing in from the sides, hurriedly stopped and stepped back away from the flames.

The sight of the fire, however, did not daunt Shiva. She let out a shivering, icy breath. When she stepped forward, the ice that covered the ground crunched beneath her boot.

Shiva raised her arms, lifting them high over her head. A ball of cold, glowing light formed in her palms, growing brighter as she lifted her palm up. The icy GF leaned her body far back. Her eyes fluttered closed. Suddenly she flung her body forward and thrust her arms out in front of her, and the ball in her palms exploded into a fearsome shower of ice.

The ice shards went hurtling through the air. They struck the ground at the foot of the flame barrier protecting Ifrit. The ice cut right through the flames, parting them like a curtain. Jagged pillars of ice began to rise up out of the ground, replacing the flames and trapping Ifrit in a cold prison.

A final ice pillar shot up out of the ground, moving over Ifrit and encasing him within its dark layers. It stayed there for a few moments before the ice cracked and broke apart, releasing Ifrit. There were burn marks on the GF's dark flesh, one or two oozing blood. The intense heat of the GF's body was gone, cooled by the ice. Ifrit sagged heavily, his strength sapped away.

The heat of the lair finally began to seep through the ice, and the remaining pillars melted. Ifrit gazed at Shiva through his bedraggled mane, made wet by the melting ice. He growled and then dropped his head.

"Ugh," Ifrit groaned. "I underestimated Shiva." The GF took another deep, laboured breath. He turned to Squall, standing nearby with his sword still raised, in case the GF tried to attack again. "Very well," he said, "I will join you."

With Ifrit defeated, Shiva gave a bow and dispersed into a cloud of ice, returning to the plane on which she lived. The ice crystals that remained in her wake evaporated into the air.

Squall sheathed his sword and walked forward to stand in front of Ifrit. He looked the GF in the eyes. He showed no fear. Once again, Ifrit found himself impressed by this young human. It was humans like this one that drew Ifrit to the upper worlds. There was much to learn from them, and much strength to gain.

Squall closed his eyes. Ifrit spread his arms wide. Flames surged up from the cracks in the ground and swirled around the two. The GF then closed his own eyes as the pact was formed between them—a pact formed not of blood but of the very soul. Ifrit's mind became harnessed to Squall's. Squall could feel the GF's presence in his mind.

_Use my power wisely,_ the GF said in his mind.

The flames disappeared. The pact was complete. Ifrit severed their connection, jumped back and plunged into the lava pit, sinking beneath its ever-shifting surface. Squall opened his eyes and breathed deeply; his blood felt hot.

Quistis walked over to the lair's entrance and unhooked the stopwatch. She checked the time remaining and noted it down in a notebook she carried in her pocket. Squall watched her as she rang the gong again, signalling the end of the test. The instructor then pushed up her glasses and walked over to Squall.

"There isn't much time," she said, "but let me go over this real quick. Good, you got yourself a GF. If you junction that GF, you'll be able to use an elemental ability. Here's an explanation on elements."

Squall listened as she explained how many GFs natures had natural elements, like fire and ice, thunder and water, etc. A GF's elemental nature could be harnessed to weapons, giving the wielder the same elemental ability. This technique of using a GF's elemental nature gave SeeD a distinct advantage in battle.

"There're a lot of Fire elemental monsters here," Quistis finished, "so junction Blizzard. You'll have an easier time with Fire elemental enemies."

Squall nodded, understanding. With Ifrit and Shiva, and the other GF in his possession, Quezacotl, he could make use of fire, ice and thunder-based abilities.

With the test completed, Squall and Quistis hurried out of the Fire Cavern. Time was running out. They headed back to Balamb Garden, where the SeeD exam would soon begin.


	4. Part 01: Chapter 03

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald**** Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Three**

The clock had just struck half past three when Squall and Quistis arrived back at Balamb Garden. The outside Gardens were quiet, with most of the students still in class. The two stopped by the front gate. Quistis stood in front of Squall, her arms folded over her chest.

"Well done," she said. She took out her notebook from her pocket, noting down the successful completion of the test. "Let's see…" she added thoughtfully. "I thought there was something else I needed to go over with you before you take the exam…" She closed her eyes, and then snapped her fingers. "Oh yes! Taking care of your GF. This is something you have to watch out for."

Despite their magical nature, Guardian Forces were not invincible. They were living creatures, same as humans, and as the test had just proven, they could be defeated or even killed. Realising this, the scientist who discovered GF also developed special items that could be used to heal them. All of this was the job of the summoner.

"Now," said Quistis, once she was done explaining, "change into your uniform and assemble at the 1F lobby."

Without a word, Squall turned and hurried from the front gate to the dormitories at the other end of the Garden. The exam was due to start in less than half an hour, so he had to move quickly.

His uniform was laid out neatly on his bed, ready to wear. It was a much simpler design than the SeeD uniforms, consisting of a navy blue tunic with patterned stitching across the shoulders, and navy blue trousers. The symbol of Balamb Garden, coloured blue, was stitched onto the right sleeve of the uniform. This symbol identified the wearer as a student of Balamb Garden.

Squall changed quickly, leaving his leather jacket, trousers and belts lying on the bed. The last thing he removed was his gloves, placing them on the bedside table.

He looked down at his right hand. There was a ring on his index finger. It was made of plain silver, and had the image of a lion carved onto it. It was his favourite ring, although he could not remember how long he had owned it. It had been his for as long as he could remember, and he kept it with him always. He had a necklace made to match, also made of silver, bearing the same image of the lion.

The last thing Squall picked up before he left the dormitory was his sword. Hanging it at his side, he made his way back to the lobby.

Most of the students were already waiting in the lobby when he arrived. There were not many taking the SeeD exam—the written and prerequisite tests had purged the numbers quite a bit. Many of the students taking the exam were grouped together in their newly formed squads, chatting amongst themselves. Some students looked excited, others were a bit more nervous. Squall did not pay attention to any of them and walked into the lobby, looking for Quistis.

"Squall! Over here!"

Squall stopped and looked behind him. Quistis was standing in front of the directory, waving to him. She had changed back into her SeeD uniform and had a clipboard in her hand, containing the details of all the squads for the exam. In all honesty, he hadn't noticed Quistis when he arrived. He turned and headed over to her.

"I'll be announcing the squad assignments for the exam now," she said. She looked down at her clipboard. "Let's see… You'll be with… Zell Dincht. Quite a lively fellow."

Squall frowned. He put his hand on his hip. "Lively?" he repeated. "He's just loud. Can't I switch members?"

"I'm afraid that's not possible," replied Quistis. She looked down the lobby, until she spotted the person she was looking for. "Over here, Zell!"

She was calling out to a young man standing in the middle of the lobby, practicing his martial arts. Zell Dincht was, as Quistis had described, a lively fellow, but with a tendency to act on impulse rather than reasoning. His eyes were blue and bright, and he had short blond hair that had been gelled up in spikes on the front of his head. His body was toned and muscled from years of training. Though his martial arts skills were unrivalled, his ability to control his emotions left much to be desired.

When he heard his name, Zell stopped practicing and looked up. He made his way over to them, performing a series of cartwheels and backflips. When he reached them he stopped and stood up. He grinned widely, and then looked at Squall.

"Whoa!" he said loudly, making Squall wince. "I'm with you!"

He wiped his hand vigorously on his trousers, looked at it, and then held it out. Squall looked at it and then turned his head away, refusing to shake it.

Unperturbed, Zell lowered his hand. "You don't get along with Seifer, do you?" he asked suddenly. "Heard he whooped you pretty bad this morning."

Like a wild boar charging blind into a pride of lions. "We weren't fighting," Squall returned hotly. The fighter's bluntness irritated him. "We were training."

"I bet you he doesn't think so," said Zell, not seeming to notice Squall's irritation. "Look, Seifer's just being a pain in the ass. All you have to do is ignore him."

"That's none of your business."

"None of your business," said Quistis, at the same moment. She coughed to draw their attention. "Ahem… Excuse me, but… That Seifer you're talking about… He's your squad leader."

There was a moment's silence. Zell jumped and stamped his foot. "SAY WHAT!"

Quistis spread her hands and shrugged helplessly. "It can't be changed," she said. She looked through the crowd of students. "Seifer! Are you here?"

It must just have been Squall's imagination, but the crowd became somewhat quieter when Seifer walked up. Seifer had a dark scowl on his face; obviously he was as displeased with the squad line-up as Zell and Squall were.

Walking behind Seifer were Raijin and Fujin, his only and closest friends. Raijin was large and muscular, with dark skin and stubble on his chin. He was always more brains than brawn, in Squall's opinion. Fujin was female and by far the smarter of the two. She was slender but strong, with sleek silver hair and an eye-patch over one eye. She very rarely spoke, saying no more than a few words at a time, and so it was always hard to tell what she was thinking. One thing was clear, however: she was fiercely loyal to Seifer, as was Raijin. Both would follow Seifer anywhere.

Squall watched as the two stopped behind Seifer. Raijin placed his hands on his hips and looked around the lobby, chuckling to himself. Fujin folded her arms over her chest, watching everything silently. _Fujin and Raijin tagging along as usual…_ Squall thought to himself. _Guess that makes up the whole disciplinary committee._

Quistis glanced at Raijin and Fujin, shook her head a little, and then looked at Seifer. "You're the squad leader," she told him. "Good luck to you."

"…Instructor," said Seifer with a sigh. "I hate it when people wish me luck. Save those words for a bad student that needs them, eh?"

"Okay then." Quistis gave him a very level, serious stare. "Good luck, Seifer."

Seifer's eyes narrowed. For a moment, Squall wondered if he might retaliate. Then Seifer relaxed and shrugged. He signalled to his two friends. "Add Instructor Trepe to the list!" he ordered sharply.

Dutifully Fujin reached into a pocket and pulled out a small, notebook. With practiced efficiency, she scribbled down Quistis's name. Squall watched her curiously.

_The list…? What is it?_

When Fujin finished writing, she placed the notebook and pen back in her pocket. She raised her head and caught Squall looking at her. She did not acknowledge his gaze. Her face remained completely impassive, unconcerned by what he might think.

"Well then." Quistis's voice broke the silence that had fallen between them. "You're all assigned to Squad B. I'll be the instructor in charge." Quistis paused and looked around at the trio, giving them all a stern look. "Teamwork is of the utmost importance," she stressed. "Let's get through this exam, everyone!"

"Listen up!" Seifer cut in. "Teamwork means staying out of my way. It's a Squad B rule. Don't you forget it!"

Zell glared at him. He clenched his fists, and his body trembled with anger. Squall sighed inwardly. So much for Zell's own advice. Sensing a headache coming on, Quistis rubbed at her temple. The exam had not even started, and already it looked like dissension would rip the squad apart.

"Everyone here?"

Everybody turned as Cid Kramer, Headmaster of Balamb Garden, walked down from the lift to the directory. The headmaster was a middle-aged man in his forties. He had brown hair and a kind, gentle face. His eyes were also kind, though they seemed somewhat tired of late.

Quistis flashed the squad a stern glance before coming to attention. Cid came to stand beside her. The other squads in the lobby came over and gathered behind them to hear the headmaster's address. Cid peered at them all through his round spectacles. Seeing the students all gathered before him, he smiled.

"It's been a while, everyone," he said. "How's everyone doing?"

He looked around. The students appeared nervous and quiet. Zell fidgeted about, shuffling from foot to foot, though he did his best to appear calm. Cid smiled, it was no surprise they were all nervous. The SeeD exam could be the making or breaking of these young students. Cid smiled. It was time to get to business.

"This exam will involve twelve members from Squads A through D…" he began. "You will be proceeding to a real battlefield. Obviously, the battles are for real.

"Life and death, victory and defeat, honour and disgrace… Each of these go hand in hand. There's only one way or another. How 'bout it? Are you still up for it?"

He leaned over, peering close at the students once again to see their reaction. All of them remained silent, but he could see the determination in their eyes. To the side, Seifer yawned loudly, bored. Quistis flashed him a stern glance.

"You will be accompanied by nine SeeD members," Headmaster Cid continued. "Should you fail, these members shall get the job done. They always do. Well, that's one less worry on your mind. The pride of Balamb Garden! The elite mercenary force, SeeD!"

The headmaster's arms were in the air now. His voice was flowing with passion as he spoke, and the fervour was visible in his tired eyes.

"Learn from them, obey their commands and accomplish the mission. Prove yourself worthy of becoming a member of SeeD." The headmaster lowered his arms and folded them behind his back. "Best of luck."

Without a word, the students turned and left the lobby. As per Quistis's instructions they headed towards the car park, where the Garden cars were waiting to escort them out. Fujin and Raijin remained in the lobby, waiting for Seifer to return.

Quistis's squad was the last to leave. Zell could hardly contain himself as he ran over to the car. Seifer took his time, strolling leisurely. Squall, who had become lost in thought whilst waiting for the other students to leave, had to run to catch them up.

As soon as they were all seated, the car headed off. It rolled out of the Garden's underground drive and into the afternoon sunlight, beginning its steady drive towards the port town of Balamb.

With nothing left to do but wait, the students inside the car leaned back and relaxed. Nobody spoke for a while; the only sound was the roar of the engine as it moved down the drive. Every so often the car jumped as it rolled over a bump in the road, but otherwise the journey was smooth, calm… and boring.

At least, that's what Zell thought. Unlike Seifer and Squall, he found himself unable to relax. His body was tense, like a coiled spring waiting to be released. He longed to get onto the battlefield and prove himself. Waiting around like this just made him more nervous.

He looked over at Squall, sitting silently beside him. Squall was staring down at the floor, his arms folded over his knees. Zell's eyes were drawn to the gunblade at the swordsman's side. This was the first time he had ever seen a gunblade up close before. The weapon was difficult to master, and there were few who even attempted it. Zell preferred to use his fists for fighting, but the gunblade intrigued him.

"Yo, Squall," he said suddenly. "Show me your gunblade, will ya?"

Squall did not even raise his head. "…"

Zell tried again. "C'mon, man!"

"…"

"Just a peek!"

"…"

Zell sighed. "Tch, fine…" he grumbled. He folded his arms across his chest, pouting. "Yeah, yeah…" He looked over at Squall again. "Why you bein' so selfish!" he demanded. "Scrooooge!"

Still Squall did not respond. "…"

"Say somethin', will ya!" said Zell, exasperated. "W-What's on your mind?"

Squall sighed. "…Nothing."

"…Nothing," said Quistis at the same moment, once again pre-empting Squall's answer. Squall looked at her. Quistis's face was innocent.

Zell looked at them both. Somewhere along the line, he thought he'd missed the joke, although neither Squall nor Quistis were laughing. "…" He sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair, trying to force his body to relax.

Silence returned to the car. Zell, still bored, drummed his fingers lightly on the armrest. He tapped his foot on the floor. Suddenly he got up out of his seat and began to practice his martial arts, punching at the air.

This went on for a few minutes until Seifer, irritated, glared up at him. "Stop that," he said, his eyes narrowing. "It's annoying."

Zell did stop. Seifer looked up at him. He smirked.

"…Chicken."

Zell's body trembled with anger. He raised his fists. "WHAT DID YOU CALL ME!" he shouted.

Seifer started to laugh, amused by Zell's overreaction. Quistis rose out of her seat and put her hands on her hips.

"Knock it off!" she ordered sharply, giving them both a stern glare.

Hearing her no nonsense tone, Zell immediately dropped back down into his seat. He folded his arms stubbornly across his chest and refused to look at Seifer. Seifer's chuckling quietened, but he continued to smile smugly to himself. Quistis waited a moment before returning to her own seat. She sighed and shook her head. It was hard to believe that they were all about the same age. They acted like little children.

Throughout all this, Squall had remained silent. He had been thinking about the girl in the infirmary, the brown-haired one with the green shawl and kind face. He was sure he had not met her before, and yet she had known him by name. Squall was puzzled. How could she know his name? Had he met her somewhere before?

Squall raised his head and looked over at Quistis. The instructor was busying herself by examining her clipboard, running through some last minute checks.

"…Instructor…"

Quistis looked up at him.

"Who was that girl in the infirmary this morning?"

Quistis blinked. "Was someone there?" she asked. "I didn't notice anybody. Is there a problem?"

"No…" Squall looked back down at the floor. "Not really…"

Opposite him, Seifer started to laugh. "This is great…" he said, his shoulders shaking as he chuckled. "I have Chicken-wuss and a guy who's just reached puberty in my squad…" He laughed loudly.

Squall did not respond. Zell's fists shook angrily. Quistis, meanwhile, put her hand to her head. It was going to be a very long evening.

* * *

A short drive later they arrived at Balamb. Balamb was a small port town, and it was from this town that Balamb Garden had gotten its name.

Although primarily a fishing community, Balamb was also a popular tourist resort. It received many visitors from overseas each year, wanting to sample the town's legendary fish dishes. It was also the only town on the continent with a shipping dock, so any people wanting to reach Balamb Garden had to pass through Balamb first. In turn any SeeD wanting to head out on missions went through Balamb docks. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement that neither side disputed.

The car headed straight for the docks. A number of SeeD-standard military ships had pulled in and were waiting at the docks. Some of them were already leaving and heading westward, into the Palmaric Ocean. The car carrying Squad B pulled swiftly into the car park.

Squall and Seifer were the first to get out of the car. They stood side by side as they looked up at the SeeD vessel that would carry them across the ocean. It was the first time either of them had seen SeeD's marine vessels. They were an impressive sight. The front of the vessels had been designed like battering rams, capable of breaking their way through any defence.

"So that's the vessel…?" asked Squall.

Seifer nodded. "Ain't no turning back now," he replied. Then, catching the faint note of trepidation in Squall's voice, he turned and looked at him. "Huh? You scared too?"

Squall did not reply but continued to stare up at the vessel.

"Hey!"

The two men turned their attention to the dock, where three members of SeeD were waiting for them. One of them was running towards the gate, waving his arms.

"You guys are the last!" he shouted, sounding a little annoyed. "Hurry up and get in!" They must have arrived late.

The car door opened and Quistis climbed out. Seifer leaned in close to Squall and said in a low whisper: "Don't disappoint me now." Squall did not respond.

Seifer then moved away from Squall as Quistis came up behind them, her face stern. "Come on, move it!" she snapped.

Seifer flashed Squall a cold glance before he ran off towards the dock. Zell went running after him, leaving Squall behind. Quistis started after them and then, realising that Squall was not following them, stopped and turned back.

"Hurry, Squall!" she called, breaking him from his thoughts, and hurried towards the dock.

Squall pushed his thoughts aside for the moment and went after her. He could think about that strange girl later. Right now he had to focus all his attention on the exam.

He reached the vessel. Everyone was waiting for him, except for Seifer, who was already making his way inside. Zell waited until Squall reached the loading platform before he too made his way into the vessel.

Quistis waited until all three students were inside. She had a brief word with her colleagues, who would be remaining behind to await their safe return. Then the instructor boarded the ship, and the main hatch slid closed.

When the checks had been completed, the engines fired up and the ship moved slowly out of the dock. Children ran out to watch and wave as the ship joined the other SeeD vessels, and then headed out across the sea towards the western continent of Galbadia.


	5. Part 01: Chapter 04

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Four**

"Hi, Quistis," said Xu as she entered the cabin.

Squall looked up as Xu closed the door behind her and stopped next to the table. Quistis rose to her feet and greeted her with a wave. Xu was a friend from her student days, although she had graduated a year earlier. Although an ordinary member of SeeD, today Xu was acting as one of the examiners for the exam.

"Well, these are the members of Squad B," said Quistis, gesturing to the three students sat around the table.

Immediately, Zell and Squall rose to their feet. "Nice to meet ya!" said Zell.

"Pleased to meet you…" said Squall, with a slight nod of his head.

Xu looked them over. She'd received the student reports prior to the exam, so she already knew who these two young men were. Zell Dincht, aged seventeen, from Balamb. He was a martial artist of unsurpassed skill… but had problems containing himself. Squall Leonhart, also aged seventeen, had resided in Garden since its founding. He was a gunblade master, but had issues when it came to teamwork.

Her eyes went to the last member of the squad, currently slouching in his chair with a look of boredom on his face. Seifer Almasy, aged eighteen. She wouldn't even need a report to tell her about this one. Seifer she knew very well. Xu sighed and folded her arms. "Seifer," she said. "How many times has it been now?"

Seifer gave her only the briefest of glances, and then he looked away and shrugged his shoulders. "Oh, I just love these exams…" he said, and refused to say anymore.

Xu sighed again. This was not the first time she had seen Seifer take the final SeeD exam. Or the second, or even the third. In fact this was the fourth time he had taken it, and if Xu were to make a bet, this would not be the last time, either.

It wasn't that Seifer did not have the skill to pass the exam. In fact, he was probably Balamb Garden's most talented swordsman. The problem was Seifer was his complete lack of respect for authority and his inability to follow orders, along with his unprecedented talent to rile people up. From the looks of things that still had not changed, and so Xu turned away from him.

"I'll explain the current situation and the mission," she announced. She looked at Zell. The fighter stepped aside and allowed her to pass. Xu took her place at the head of the room. On the wall behind her was a large computer screen. She stood in front of this, holding the remote in her hands, and faced the company. "Be seated!" she ordered, and Squall, Zell and Quistis obediently took their seats. Xu coughed, clearing her throat, and then began her briefing.

"Our client for the mission is the Dollet Dukedom Parliament," she said. "A request for SeeD was made 18 hours ago."

She stepped aside to allow the students a full view of the display screen behind her. She pushed a button on the remote, and the screen lit up. A map of Dollet, seaside capital of the Dollet Dukedom, appeared on the screen.

The Dollet Dukedom was an independent nation on the northeast region of the Galbadian continent. Its capital was built along the shore, protected by a large mountain range. The only way to enter the city on land was through a single pass through the mountains, and so Dollet had managed to maintain a peaceful existence. That was, until now, as Xu was about to explain.

"Dollet has been under attack by the G-Army since about 72 hours ago," she told them. "Forty-nine hours into the battle, Dollet abandoned their position in the inner city. Currently, they have retreated into the nearby mountains and are reorganising their troops. That's the current status.

"Now onto the mission objective. According to our reports, the G-Army is mopping up the Dollet troops in the mountain region. We're to make a landing at Lapin Beach." She indicated the spot on the map. "We're to eliminate the remaining G-Army within the city and liberate it A.S.A.P. Afterwards, SeeD members will intercept any G-Army forces trying to make their way into the city from the mountain region."

The screen went off.

Seifer leaned back further in his chair. "So, what are WE supposed to do?" he asked, placing his boots on the table.

Xu stepped back in front of the screen. "SeeD candidates are to eliminate the G-Army inside the city," she answered.

"Sounds important!" said Zell excitedly, flexing his muscles.

"Sounds boring," Seifer corrected with a yawn. He rested his cheek in his hand and looked up at Xu. "So, what you're saying is," he said, giving her a bored look, "we do all the dirty work…"

Xu remained silent. He really had not changed at all. She glanced at Quistis, who just shook her head. "… Oh," said Xu, suddenly remembering, "it hardly needs to be said, but… The order to withdraw takes priority. Do not forget."

She looked around the room to make sure they understood. Zell gulped. He wondered what would happen if anyone ignored the order to withdraw. They would be left behind, most likely. The fighter glanced over at Squall to see his reaction. Squall's face was unreadable. Zell scratched his head, shuffling nervously.

Xu nodded, satisfied that they all understood. She looked at her watch. "We're almost there," she told them. "We anticipate a battle as soon as we disembark. Just be prepared. That's all. Any questions, talk to Quistis."

The briefing over, Xu walked forward. Zell moved out of his seat, allowing her to pass once again. The SeeD left the cabin, leaving the three students and Quistis alone as they waited for the ship to arrive at Dollet.

Silence fell amongst them. Squall folded his arms over his knees and looked down at the floor, thinking about the mission ahead. According to Xu's briefing, they were to aid in the liberation of Dollet from the invading G-Army. Their task was to eliminate the G-Army inside the city and stop further troops from entering.

The Galbadian Army, or G-Army as it was known for short, had a long history of war and invasion, beginning thousands of years ago. In that time, the whole continent had been part of the Dollet Empire. Then a terrible tragedy had struck the continent and Dollet had become a divided empire. One of the powers that rose up in the wake of the catastrophe had been Galbadia, along with Timber to the southeast, and the Dollet Dukedom, remnant of the Dollet Empire, to the northeast.

Galbadia quickly established its military might eighteen years ago in the war against the eastern nation of Esthar and the invasion of its neighbour, Timber. Since then, Galbadia held a reputation for subjugating other nations. So the invasion of Dollet had come as no surprise. Still, Squall wondered why Galbadia had chosen to invade Dollet now, eighteen years later. What had prompted the invasion?

He must have looked very lost in thought, for Quistis leaned over and waved, catching his attention. He looked up. "What is it, Squall?" she asked him.

Squall looked back down at the floor. It didn't really matter. The reasons behind the Galbadian's attack were not necessary to the mission. His orders had been given; that was all he needed to know. Still, it was best that he made sure that he had understood the mission details correctly, before they disembarked. He looked up.

"Explain that again," he asked her.

Quistis sat up straight, assuming her instructor role. "Here's a quick explanation," she began. "The goal for this mission is to eliminate the Galbadian forces that have entered Dollet. The order to withdraw takes priority. Be sure to make your way back to the shore when you get this order."

"Listen up," Seifer said suddenly, cutting in over Quistis. "Our goal for this mission is to mop up all the Galbadian soldiers still left in Dollet. All you boys"—meaning Squall and Zell—"have to do is take orders from me, the captain."

Quistis rubbed at her temple, feeling the headache grow stronger. She worried about the outcome of this exam. With Seifer in charge, almost anything could happen. She hoped Headmaster Cid knew what he was doing.

On the other hand, Zell was becoming excited. "My first real battle…" he said. Squall looked up. Zell's eyes were bright with excitement. "I'm getting pretty nervous."

"Better not piss in your pants," Seifer said offhandedly.

Zell glared at him. "Huh!" he demanded loudly. "You talkin' to me?"

"Heh heh…" Seifer laughed to himself.

"…Bastard," Zell growled.

Squall sighed inwardly.

"Okay, enough talk," said Quistis, interrupting before Seifer or Zell could escalate things further. "We'll be landing pretty soon. Get ready."

Zell's mood changed at once, turning back into excitement. "Roger," he said. His wrath for Seifer momentarily forgotten, he began to crack his knuckles and stretch out his muscles, readying himself for the battles ahead.

"All right," said Squall, without looking up.

"Yeah, yeah…" Seifer replied, yawning. He reached out and touched his gunblade, as though reassuring himself that it was still there, and then sank back in his chair again. "Well then, Squall," he said after a moment. "Go see what's going on outside."

It wasn't a request. "…" Squall sighed. "…Okay." He rose to his feet.

"Good," said Seifer. "Because it's MY order."

* * *

Squall stood alone on the upper deck of the SeeD ship, watching the horizon. The ocean waters rippled as the ship ploughed its way through. Above him, the sun was beginning its slow descent, giving the sky a pale orange hue. The moon was already visible; its reflection was large and full in the water.

Around him were half a dozen ships, each one filled with SeeD and other students. At that moment everyone would be preparing themselves for battle. The students would be nervous, gathering their courage. Their instructors would be giving last minute instructions, for once the students disembarked they would be on their own. If they did not perform their duty, they would fail the exam. Or, as a worst case scenario, they would all die. Squall, however, refused to think about that option. All his thoughts were centred solely on the mission.

Squall looked away from the horizon and down at a photograph of Dollet that he had picked up before heading out. It was a view of Dollet as it appeared from the sea. There was the shoreline and the city's many docks, along with the numerous wave-breakers positioned in various places around the shore. To the south of the city, on top of a sloping cliff, was an old communication tower.

Squall then dropped a second sheet on top of the photograph. It was a transparent sheet, detailed with the plans of attack. It marked Lapin Beach, where they would land, along with the various points where the SeeD and students would be dispatched in the city and mountains. Key positions had also been labelled; Squall figured these were the main parts of the city they had to protect.

The swordsman lowered the photo and looked ahead. Dollet was directly ahead of him, but it was not the same Dollet that he had seen in the photograph. The Dollet he saw before him was a city engulfed in the grip of war. Explosions tore their way through the city, sending clouds of fire and smoke into the air. He could hear the gunfire even from here, and he could smell the scent of the smoke.

Dollet soldiers swarmed across Lapin Beach after being forced to give up their positions inside the city. They charged across the sand, trying to re-enter the city. A Galbadian soldier holding a bazooka opened fire and hit a truck parked on the beach. The truck exploded, sending one Dollet soldier flying and forcing many more onto their knees, covering their faces as clouds of smothering smoke filled the air.

Squall watched the battle from the upper deck. More explosions erupted on the beach, as the Dollet soldiers were once again forced to draw back. The brightness of the flames glittered in Squall's eyes as he narrowed them in determination. He was ready.

A loud roar rumbled below him as the ship's engines suddenly revved up. Squall quickly ducked down below deck, returning to the safety of the interior.

The SeeD ships broke formation and surged forward. They moved at great speed, heading towards war-torn Dollet.

The mission had begun.


	6. Part 01: Chapter 05

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Five**

The SeeD vessels approached the shore. They spread out, approaching from different angles, powering their way through the water. Their initial strike had to be fast, to move in before the Galbadian Army could realise they were there.

Two of the vessels were heading for the large stone wavebreakers positioned around the shore. The nearest ship veered away at the last moment, but the second carried on moving forward and crashed into the wall. There was a loud _CRUNCH_ as the ship's specially designed hull smashed right through the stone, creating a large gap. The ship moved up and over the broken wall until it came out the other side and landed back in the water. Undamaged, the ship continued forward.

The ship hit the shore. It beached itself upon the sand. All around it the other SeeD ships had done the same, anchoring themselves onto the shore. The ship's hull opened up and Squall, Zell and Seifer came running out.

The scent of smoke was heavy on the air. It billowed up from the exploded truck, trailed along the beach and across the sea. Luckily there was a strong breeze blowing and the smoke moved quickly, leaving the beach clear. There was no sign of the Dollet soldiers; they had fled the moment that SeeD arrived.

Squad B turned back to the ship. Quistis and Xu were standing in the doorway. They spoke for a brief moment, before Xu saluted and ran down from the ship. She passed Squad B, hurrying along the sands towards the city. Another squad of students ran out of one of the nearby vessels and also made their way towards the city. Squad B looked at Quistis, awaiting their orders. The instructor faced them, her face grim.

"Okay, you are to secure the Central Square!" the instructor commanded sharply. Another explosion sounded nearby, and she raised her voice to be heard over the boom. "Be sure to equip your GF before you head into battle!"

Seifer turned from her. Raising his gunblade, he pointed it down the beach. "Let's move out!" he ordered. Without waiting for their response he set off along the beach, leaving Squall and Zell behind.

Zell looked at Squall and rolled his eyes. The swordsman turned away from him. They had to get moving, or they would lose sight of Seifer. He glanced down at his gunblade, making sure it was secure, and then he ran after Seifer. Zell ran close behind him, excitement burning in his eyes.

Seifer was just up ahead, standing by the steps leading up to the esplanade. The squad that had ran past before was standing by here, waiting for Seifer and his squad to pass before they made the beach secure. When Squall and Zell approached Seifer ran on ahead, leaping up the steps towards the top.

There were two Galbadian soldiers waiting for them at the top at the top of the stairs, drawn by the sounds of SeeD's arrival. The Galbadian Army was easily identified in their blue uniforms and silver-coloured armour. In a normally quiet city such as this, they were an alarming sight. When they saw Seifer come bounding up the steps with his squad in tow, they reached for their guns and aimed at them. Seeing that they were not Dollet soldiers as they had expected, they hesitated.

"They're Dollet reinforcements?" one of the soldiers asked, looking at his comrade.

He got his answer quickly, as the squad reached the top of the steps and Seifer darted forward. Seifer was quick and struck so fast the soldiers barely had the time to react. With a single swipe of his sword he felled the soldier and then turned on his comrade. The soldier hesitated and stepped back. He then raised his gun, but his hesitation was costly. Seifer ran up to him and grabbed him by his helmet. He shoved, pushing the soldier hard against a wall. While he stood, dazed, Seifer pulled him forward and threw him over the balustrade. The soldier landed on the sand below, much to the shock of the three students standing below.

With the two soldiers dispatched the squad hurried on, leaving the other team to clean up the mess. With the promenade now under SeeD's control, no other Galbadian soldiers would be able to advance on the shore. Now Squad B was hurrying to the Central Square to secure the heart of the city. They moved quickly through the city, following the main road.

As they ran down a street Squall noticed that all the buildings were closed, their windows boarded up. There was no sign of any civilians, either. Presumably they had all fled into the mountains to wait out the battle. At least casualties would be reduced to a minimum, thought Squall. But where were all the Dollet soldiers?

Just as Squall was thinking this, Seifer suddenly came to a stop ahead of him. The squad leader looked up, and his eyes narrowed.

There was a stone walkway overhead, joining two buildings on both sides of the street. On this walkway were two more Galbadian soldiers, patrolling the rooftops. The soldiers spotted them and jumped down from the walkway, landing on the path in front of the squad. They raised their rifles.

"Look out, it's SeeD!" shouted one of the soldiers, recognising the SeeD logo on Squall and Zell's uniforms.

The two soldiers opened fire. Zell jumped back out of the way, while Seifer and Squall raised their blades to block the oncoming bullets. The gunfire stopped, as the two soldiers reloaded their weapons. In that moment the two swordsmen charged forward, moving together. They met the soldiers head-on. They clashed, grappled with the soldiers, and a few moments later the soldiers fell to the ground.

Seifer walked up to the two lifeless soldiers. He looked down at them, a look of disdain on his face. That look turned to anger and he kicked away one of the rifles, sending it skittering across the street. That had been pathetically easy. If there was one thing Seifer hated, it was an easy fight. He had hoped, with these being Galbadian soldiers, they would be more of a challenge. Still, there might be some soldiers worth fighting out there.

Without saying a word to Squall or Zell, Seifer stepped over the bodies of the soldiers. He hurried on towards the Central Square.

Squall and Zell hesitated, unsure of whether they should follow him right away. The bodies of the two soldiers were lying in the middle of the street. Somehow, it didn't feel right to just leave them there.

The door to a nearby café opened. Squad C came running out and took up positions outside the door, securing the main road. Seeing their fellow students, Squall motioned to Zell to follow him. The other squad could clean up the mess. They had to secure the Central Square as quickly as possible.

They found Seifer further down the road, standing by an abandoned car, waiting impatiently for them to catch up.

"The Central Square is up ahead," he told them when they finally caught up. Turning away from them, he shouted down the path. "Hey! All you Galbadian cowards out there! Come out'n show your faces! Don't leave me hangin' now!"

Seifer then ran off, once again leaving his squad behind. Zell watched him go, his hand on his hip. "…What an idiot," he said, shaking his head.

Squall said nothing on the matter. Despite Seifer's abrasive and provocative attitude towards this mission, they were making progress, and since Seifer was their squad leader they had no choice but to follow him. The two ran off again, quickening their pace to try and catch up with their leader.

As Seifer had told them, the Central Square was just ahead. Seifer, as expected, was already there. He stood beside a large fountain in the centre, his face creased into a frown as he was once again forced to wait for his squad to catch up to him.

Squall and Zell entered the Square. Suddenly they both stopped and raised their weapons (or fists!), their eyes fixed on the fountain.

Seifer turned. A Galbadian soldier emerged from behind the fountain where he had been lying in wait and charged at Seifer with his gun raised. Seifer darted forward to meet him. He knocked the gun aside with his fist and then thrust his sword forward.

Seeing the gunblade coming, the soldier leaned back. The gunblade's tip stopped just inches away from his helmet. The soldier let out a sigh of relief. Seifer smirked. In a sudden, swift movement, he swung his sword. The Galbadian soldier did not even have time to cry out. He fell against the found and slumped to the floor, dead.

"There may be more…" Squall warned, looking about the Square.

Seifer rested his sword against his shoulder, frowning thoughtfully. Zell walked past him and knelt beside the body of the soldier. Grumbling to himself, annoyed that he had not managed to get in on any of the action yet, he heaved the soldier up onto his back and carried him across the Square. He dumped the body in an alleyway behind a garbage bin. Still grumbling, he returned to his friends.

"All right," said Seifer as he came to a decision. "I want you guys to scout the area for enemies."

Squall nodded silently. He began to explore the perimeter of the Central Square, keeping an eye out for any other Galbadian soldiers that were in hiding, waiting to strike. Zell searched with him, still grumbling under his breath. Squall put the fighter out of his mind and focused solely on his search.

Squall moved on to search the northern side of the Square. He was just walking past one of the closed shops when he heard a noise coming from his left. Squall paused and listened carefully.

The sound came again: a low shuffle, and the sound of metal scraping on stone. Looking downwards, Squall saw that the ground beneath him was patterned stone. There was someone nearby, hiding. Squall let his eyes wander slowly to his left. There was a car parked nearby, next to an abandoned hotel. At the edge of the car he saw a moving shadow. The hider was there, behind the car.

Squall glanced at Zell. The fighter had also heard the noise and was making his way slowly around Squall, heading casually towards the car. Squall rested his hand on the hilt of his gunblade as he began to walk towards the car. Seifer watched in silence as his squad advanced on the car and then, when they were close enough, they struck.

Zell leaped over the bonnet of the car, landing in front of their hidden assailant. It was another Galbadian soldier. When Zell suddenly appeared in front of him it startled him so much that he dropped his gun, letting it clatter onto the floor. He fumbled for it, but Zell grabbed the soldier by his armour and shoved him back. He then leaped on the soldier, his fists a blur of movement.

The soldier grappled with Zell and must have landed a lucky blow, for Zell suddenly doubled over, clutching at his face. The soldier shoved him off and scrabbled to his feet. He rushed for his weapon. A figure stepped in front of it, and the soldier looked up to find Squall standing over him.

The swordsman swung his sword, forcing the soldier back. He backed right up into Zell, who had now recovered from the blow to his head and was right behind him. Zell cracked his knuckles ominously and drew back his fist. He swung it with all his might and caught the soldier on the side of his face. Squall stepped aside as the soldier staggered forward and landed against the car, his legs buckling.

The soldier tried to recover, but Zell was in front of him again. The fighter delivered a second blow that sent the soldier flying over the car. He hit the ground on the other side. Zell flexed his wrist and moved to stand over him. The Galbadian tried sit up. Zell knelt and drew back his fist one more time. The resulting blow caused the Galbadian's helmet to crack and split apart, falling like a broken eggshell on either side of the soldier's face. The soldier, on the other hand, was unconscious, knocked out by the blow. Zell rose to his feet, and Squall came to stand beside him.

"I think that's all of them," said Squall.

Zell nodded. He rubbed his knuckles, pleased with himself. He turned to Seifer, grinning broadly. Let's see what Seifer had to say about him now!

Unfortunately, Seifer was not paying the least bit attention. The swordsman had turned away from him and Squall and was seemingly lost in thought, tapping his blade absently against his shoulder. Zell fumed and clenched his fist. Angrily he turned away. He bent down to pick up the body of the unconscious soldier, planning to dump it in the alley along with his fallen comrade.

Squall sheathed his sword and went back over to Seifer. As he approached he noticed that a small brown dog had wandered into the Square and was now standing at Seifer's feet, sniffing the swordsman curiously. Seifer did not seem the notice the dog, or just did not care that it was there.

"Well then," said Seifer when Zell had returned, "we're on standby 'til the enemy comes." He took a few steps away from them and looked around the empty Square. "Standby…" he said with a sigh. "How boring…"

With nothing else to do other than wait, the squad relaxed. Zell went to one side and began to do some simple stretching exercises to keep his muscles warmed up. Seifer, unable to relax, returned to tapping his sword against his shoulder.

The dog, also bored, padded over to Squall and sat down in front of him. It whined, gazing up at him with its large, golden-brown eyes. Squall knelt down and held out his hand. The dog sniffed his hand curiously. It then pushed its head into Squall's hand, and Squall gently stroked its fur. Its body was trembling slightly. The dog had probably been left behind when the people of Dollet fled for the mountains.

The silence was suddenly shattered by the sound of gunfire. Squall looked up. The sound was distant, and came from the mountains surrounding Dollet. Squall guessed that the battle had begun and the qualified members of SeeD had engaged with the Galbadian Army, trying to drive the enemy forces back.

"Sounds like it's starting," he said, looking up at Seifer.

"Bring it on," replied Seifer, without looking at him.

The sounds of the battle continued to rage. Squall looked back down at the dog. Its head was lowered and it was whining softly. He reached out to pet it again, but the dog pulled its head away from his hand and wandered over to Seifer. The swordsman had his back to the dog and so it nuzzled the back of his legs, trying to get his attention. Seifer ignored it. The dog then barked at him, and pawed at his coat. This time Seifer did respond—he turned and glowered at the dog.

"Get outta here!" he spat. "Scram!"

The dog did not move and continued to paw at him. Zell, seeing this, was forced to cover his mouth as he tried very hard not to laugh out loud. Fuming, Seifer turned and stormed across the Square towards Zell, and for a moment Squall feared that he had heard Zell and was going to strike him. Instead Seifer brushed past Zell and stopped on the other side of the fountain. The swordsman began to swipe his sword rapidly, and the air made a _whoosh_ as it passed over the blade.

"Hey!" he yelled, over the distant gunfire. "Galbadian soldiers! What are you waiting for! Come show me what you got!"

He gave the sword a few more furious swipes. Finally, his fury spent, Seifer lowered his sword. The streets, in response, remained silent. Nobody came to answer his call. The only response came from the dog, which barked loudly. There was no other choice. They would have to wait.

* * *

Nearly a full hour passed by, and still the students continued to wait. At the top of the hotel, a clock struck six. The sound of the bell was the only thing to pierce the sounds of the battle that still raged in the mountains, but the city itself remained perfectly still. The enemy was nowhere to be seen.

With nothing else to do but wait, Zell shoved his hands deep into his trouser pockets and paced across the Square. His eyes were fixed on the floor as he walked, tracing the intricate patterns inlaid on the bricks. When he reached the end of his cycle he paused, turned, and walked back the same way. Boredom showed strongly on his face. This was not how he had expected the SeeD exam to go.

Squall took another look around the Square. From his position he could see down all of Dollet's main streets, another reason why their position was so important. They would be able to see any soldiers trying to make their way through the city. Yet despite their prime position, the city was quiet.

"…Nothing," said Squall, as he finished looking down the empty streets. He looked over at Seifer. His fellow swordsman was leaning against a wall, still tapping his gunblade against his shoulder. The dog, still hanging around, sat at Seifer's feet.

"Still keeping us waiting…?" Seifer said absently, mostly to himself.

Seifer had become more and more tense as the minutes passed by. His fingers played along the hilt of his sword, pausing only to tap the weapon against his shoulder. One time when he paused, his fingers ran over the gunblade's trigger. He squeezed it gently and then let go again. Seifer repeated this procedure many times, though for what purpose it served, Squall didn't know.

Another minute passed. Then Zell abruptly stopped his pacing and punched the ground with his fist, causing the brick to crack. The dog, startled by this sudden movement, leaped back in alarm and flattened its ears against its head, growling.

"…The HELL!" Zell shouted. "Man… Now this is what I call boring." He rose to his feet and looked at Squall with pleading eyes. "This ain't right, man!" he objected.

Squall shook his head, remaining silent. What did Zell expect him to do about it? Receiving no response, Zell gave an exaggerated sigh and thrust his hands back into his pockets. With nothing better to do, he resumed his pacing.

Another minute passed by, and another, and another. Then Seifer, unable to contain his impatience any longer, suddenly cried out in rage. He began to swipe his sword in front of him again, slicing furiously through the air.

"That's it…" Seifer bellowed angrily. "I can't take it anymore! What is this, some kind of dog training!"

He swiped the sword again and again. As he brought the blade down it struck the ground, causing sparks to fly where the blade cut into the stone. The dog, alarmed once more, jumped up from its spot and ran away from Seifer. It ran to the other side of the Square and stopped by the fountain. Raising its head, it began to howl loudly. Squall and the others watched it closely.

The dog continued to howl. Another sound then caught Squall's ear. He turned and looked down one of the main streets leading away from the dock. There was nobody there. He was just about to turn away when he saw a flash of light by one of the doorways. It was the flash of sunlight catching on metal. So someone _was_ there.

Squall signalled to Seifer and gestured down the street. The swordsman glanced down, also saw the light, and nodded his head. Squall tapped Zell on the shoulder. Zell nodded; he had also seen the light. Hurriedly Squall knelt down behind the fountain, with Zell close behind him. Seifer stepped back behind the wall and peered out into the Square.

The dog stopped howling and ran off down the street leading to the dog. There was a moment's pause, and then a figure entered the Square. The squad recognised him at once to be a Galbadian soldier—there was no mistaking that blue uniform.

The soldier, however, was acting very strangely. At first they thought he was wounded, for he was crouching down and holding onto his armour. The soldier then paused and glanced around the Square, and they realised that he wasn't injured, just sneaking by. He was holding his armour so that it made no sound when he moved. After making sure that there was no one around, the soldier began to sneak down the southward street, towards the mountains.

A moment later more soldiers entered the Square, following the first one. They all moved in the same manner, sneaking by as quietly as they could. They all headed down the southbound street and disappeared from sight.

When they were gone, Squall rose to his feet. "It's the enemy…" he said.

"Where the hell they goin'?" asked Zell, folding his arms.

Seifer ran forward and stopped at the top of the street. The soldiers were running now, making their way across a large stone bridge at the end of the street. On the other side was a mountain path that rose up a sloping hill. The sounds of fighting were not coming from this direction, but down the other street, the one leading out of the city. So why were these soldiers heading down this way?

Their gazes drifted upwards, following the mountain path. Perched on top of the hill was an old communication tower—the same one Squall had seen on the map prior to their landing.

"Hey? What is that up there?" Zell asked, pointing at the tower.

A smile appeared on Seifer's face. He walked forward and pointed his blade down the path after the soldiers, who were just disappearing on the mountain path. "Our next destination," he announced.

"But that's against orders!" protested Zell.

Seifer sighed heavily. He should have known that chicken-wuss would be the first to object. "Weren't you just saying how bored you were?" he asked casually.

Zell's jaw dropped open. He turned away from Seifer and looked to Squall, desperately seeking support. "Squall!"

Squall could feel Zell's gaze burning into him, urging him to speak. He knew what Zell was thinking. If Squall also opposed the idea, then Seifer would be forced to reconsider his decision to leave their post. It was one of the standard rules of leadership in SeeD. Of course, Seifer would go anyway, regardless of whether his squad approved his decision or not. And, despite himself, Squall was curious to know where the soldiers were headed. He turned away from Zell and Seifer.

"I stand by the captain's decision," he answered finally.

Once again, Zell's jaw dropped open. Though he did not know what he had expected Squall to say, this was as far from it as possible. Even Seifer looked surprised.

"…Captain's decision?" he repeated. He looked at Squall approvingly, impressed by his rival's sudden show of support. He walked over to Squall and placed his hand on the young man's shoulder. "You want to wreak some havoc too, don't you?"

Squall brushed off Seifer's hand. Seifer stared at his hand and then glowered at Squall, annoyed. Squall turned to face him, looking at him with a steadfast gaze.

"It's a good opportunity to test out my training," the teenager responded curtly, not wanting Seifer to get the wrong idea. "Thanks to you, I feel like I can take on anyone. Even if they do fight dirty, like you."

He held Seifer's gaze. Seifer stared back at him. His eyes went to the red scar that crossed Squall's face. The swordsman reached up and touched his own scar, running his fingers over it. The scars were matching and yet, at the same time, in opposition to one another. It was the same with Squall and himself. They were both highly skilled swordsmen, the best in Garden. Yet it was because of this Seifer saw Squall as his ultimate rival. Matching, yet in opposition. Seifer let his fingers slide over his scar, given to him by that same rival. He turned away.

"You'll thank me when the time comes," Seifer said, his voice barely a whisper. Squall was just about to ask him to repeat it when another voice butted in.

"What the hell…"

Squall and Seifer turned. They had almost forgotten about Zell. The fighter had his arms folded across his chest as he stared at the two, looking puzzled. "I thought you guys didn't get along?" he asked them. "You're like, all buddy-buddy now."

The fighter came to stand in front of them. "Listen," he said. "This ain't no ordinary battle. It's an exam, an important one. I'm tellin' ya, we have to stick to orders."

At this Seifer's brows creased and his face returned to its usual cold arrogance. "Then you stay here," he responded sharply. He heaved his sword up onto his shoulder. "I don't need any boy scouts."

In a flash Zell raised his fists. "What was that!" he shouted. His body was trembling with anger, and his face turned red. Seifer smiled that same arrogant grin. This only made Zell madder, and he longed to beat that smile off Seifer's face.

Squall sighed. "Don't take him seriously, Zell," he said, and then turned to Seifer. "Seifer, if we're gonna go, let's hurry."

Seifer nodded. He faced his squad. "The enemy is headed for the facility. We, Squad B, are to secure the summit. Move out!"

"Alright," said Squall.

Realising that he had lost the argument, Zell folded his arms. "Tch… Fine."

As the squad hurried down towards the bridge, the dog came out of its hiding place and padded back into the Square. It watched as Squall, Seifer and Zell ran across the bridge. The dog whimpered and sat down, waiting for them to return.


	7. Part 01: Chapter 06

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Six**

The bridge was eerily silent as the students made their way across. The only sounds came from the battle that was still raging in the surrounding mountains. It showed no signs of letting up just yet. Thick black smog hung like a pall over the cliffs and was slowly trailing over the city. The air around them felt charged, electrified, and every so often there was a flash of light from the mountains, coming from the SeeD and soldiers using their para-magic or Guardian Forces to aid them in their fight. Aside from that, everything else was silent.

There was no sign of any soldiers, but still they kept a close eye on the rooftops of the city behind them. As they passed the halfway point they turned their eyes to the mountain slope ahead of them. The rocky cliffs would provide adequate cover for any snipers, and so they watched them closely.

As usual Seifer pulled ahead of them. He made no attempt to hide himself. To his mind, that was the coward's way. No, Seifer wanted to be in the open, where the enemy could see him… and where he could see them.

Behind Seifer and Squall, Zell was morosely silent. This was going against orders. If Quistis and the headmaster found out, then they would be punished. At the very least, they would fail the exam. At the most, they could be expelled. Yet even as he thought this, he could not help but feel a tingle of excitement. Disobeying orders or not, at least they were _doing_ something!

They reached the other end of the bridge and hurried to the mountain path. They did not get far before they stopped and stared around them. Several dead and wounded Dollet soldiers lay slumped across the path. Blood lay splattered about the path, staining the shrubbery an ugly red. The stench of blood was thick in the air and would be nauseating to the weak of heart. Squall heard Zell choke back a cough, and he himself felt a little sickened, though he did his best not to show it. Seifer, meanwhile, showed no reaction to the sight of the wounded.

"That's war for you," was all he said.

They walked forward. They moved slowly, not wanting to disturb the scene. Most of the soldiers seemed to have died from gunshot wounds; however one or two soldiers had injuries that definitely did not come from rifles.

They passed one soldier lying face down near the edge of the cliff at the entrance to some shrubbery that bordered the path. The soldier had a gunshot wound in his chest, but there were also two larger, bloodier marks in the soldier's waist and left thigh. To make the image worse, the left leg looked torn, as though it had been ripped hard and was now half-severed. The soldier had bled to death, and his face was frozen in a mask of terror. Zell gulped and Squall instinctively placed his hand on his sword, keeping it close to hand. They continued on.

At the end of the slope was a set of rugged stone steps leading up the side of the cliff. Here the scene of carnage ended, and the three students hurried up the slope.

A slithering noise came from the nearby bushes. The students stopped and immediately raised their weapons. Squall fixed his eyes on the bushes, noting every movement. The slithering noise came again, and the bushes rustled. They parted and a Dollet soldier crawled out. He was wounded. He had a bullet wound to his shoulder and there were char marks on his uniform where he had been blasted with Thunder magic. When he saw the three students he froze and stared up in alarm.

"Ahhh! W-W-Who are you!"

"Don't worry," said Squall quickly, lowering his sword. Zell, too, lowered his fists. "We're SeeD candidates. We've been dispatched by Garden."

This seemed to calm him. It was hard to see his face beneath his helmet, but he sighed heavily and dropped his head. Squall glanced at his wounds. The bullet wound was deep but he did not seem to be bleeding too heavily. The burn marks looked superficial, but as the majority of harm caused by Thunder magic was done on the inside of the body it was impossible to tell just how badly he was injured.

"So what's going on up there?" asked Seifer, looking up the path.

The soldier raised his head and followed Seifer's gaze to the tower at the peak. "The Galbadian soldiers have entered the Communication Tower," he said. "On top of that…" He coughed. "That place has always been a nesting ground for monsters." He looked back at the students. "If you guys are goin' up, please be caref…"

A loud hiss came from the bushes behind him. They parted and a serpent's head came out. It opened its jaws and latched onto the soldier's leg, sinking its fangs into the flesh. The soldier cried out in surprise and pain. The serpent then pulled back, dragging the soldier backward. The soldier struggled and clawed at the floor.

"H-HELP!"

Squall reached out to grab the soldier. The serpent drew back its head sharply and pulled the soldier into the bushes. There was terrible, pain-filled cry… which then became silent. The bushes rustled and the serpent rose up.

It was the largest serpent any of them had ever seen, hence its name: Anacondaur. More than twice their height, it slithered forward on large, powerful coils. It had a large spiked hood surrounding its tiny had, and a balloon-like sack just beneath its throat. Spikes ran along its mottled green scales all the way down to its tail. Its head was tiny compared to the rest of its body. Blood dripped down its jaws; there was cloth from the soldier's uniform embedded in its numerous tiny teeth.

The serpent opened its mouth wide and screeched loudly. Another shriek sounded back in reply and a second serpent emerged from the bushes. This serpent's fangs were also drenched in blood. The serpents had been drawn by the battle and were gorging on the wounded and the dead. That explained the soldier they had seen before, where his leg had almost been ripped off.

The second serpent slithered through the bushes and joined its comrade. Their tongues—about ten inches long and an inch wide—flicked out and tasted the air. They could feel the warmth radiating from the students in their scales and feel their racing heartbeats. Hungry, the serpents slithered out of the bushes and headed towards them.

Squall took a cautious step back. At the movement the nearest serpent lunged forward. Squall jumped back just as the snake's head slammed into the path. Any normal creature would have broken its skull after such a strike, but the Anacondaur's hard scales and thick skull meant it received nothing more than a dull thud. It drew back its head and gazed at Squall. After a moment, it began to slither again.

Squall continued to back away slowly, not wanting to draw the monster's attack. Seifer then suddenly brushed passed him and planted himself in front of the two serpents. The monsters reared up and hissed warningly, but Seifer stood firm. He raised his sword and gestured for them to attack.

They obliged. The nearest serpent lunged again, and as its head drew near Seifer swung his sword and pulled the trigger of his gunblade. There was a flash as the blank round fired and the serpent shrank back, screeching in pain. Blood poured from its jaw where the gunblade had cut through the flesh of its mouth. The added power from the recoil caused the blade to cut through one of the serpent's many, tiny teeth. The tooth clattered to the floor. The injured serpent writhed and wrapped its coils around itself, hissing in pain and anger.

Seifer bent down and picked up the bloodied tooth, holding it in his palm. "Listen up!" he called to his two comrades. "The last strike… Save it for me!"

Zell muttered under his breath but said nothing out loud. He stepped forward to stand by Seifer and raised his fists. Squall drew his sword and joined them, creating a unified—albeit unwanted—front against the two monsters.

The serpents were being more cautious now. The injured one was still writhing, wrapped tightly inside its coils. The other one, possibly its mate, made no move. Its eyes watched the students carefully, its unblinking eyes fixed on them. Clearly, the monsters had not expected humans—less than half their size and barely a tenth of their physical strength—to do them any harm.

Seifer stepped forward and swiped his sword at the second snake. The Anacondaur hissed and reared back, rising up to its full height. Its tail flicked warningly. As it moved its muscles—which were powerful enough to crush a double-decker bus—shifted beneath its dirty green scales. The snake coiled… and then lunged. At the same time Seifer charged, meeting the snake head on.

"Seifer!" called Squall, but he was too late to stop him.

Seifer thrust out his sword. The serpent twisted its body aside just in time, and the blade slid past it. In turn its head had veered off course and slammed into the ground, stirring up dirt and dust. Seifer tilted his blade and pulled it back. The blade's edge caught onto the scales and ripped them from the serpent's body.

Agonised, the serpent reared back. It swung its barbed tail and Seifer dropped onto the ground. The moment the tail's shadow passed over his head Seifer jumped back onto his feet. He lunged, thrust out his blade a second time and smiled with satisfaction as the sword sank into the serpent's scaly torso.

The serpent shrieked and writhed in pain. Seifer withdrew his sword, carrying more scales with it. He stepped back as the monster began to thrash its tail, slamming it against the ground and cliff wall, causing the ground to shake. A chunk of rock broke from the wall and tumbled towards Zell, who jumped back out of the way.

"Zell!"

A shadow fell over him. The second serpent had recovered from its initial wound and used it mate's attack as a distraction to move in behind the group. As Zell turned the serpent was lunging at him, its bloody mouth open. Zell swung his fist and struck the serpent on its jaw, slamming the mouth shut. There was a sickening crunch as the jaw slammed shut—the bones cracked and splintered.

The snake pulled back its head, hissing loudly. Its jaw flopped open, broken. Many of its fangs were missing, driven into the roof of its mouth when Zell's punch slammed it shut. The Anacondaur writhed, its jaw flapping uselessly. While it writhed Squall rushed in behind it and swung his sword. He called upon the Thunder magic he had stored within his body and unleashed it just as the blade hit the serpent's body. The blade crackled as it ripped through the scales, and then the Thunder magic leapt from the blade and onto the Anacondaur's body.

The thunder magic tore through the serpent's body, and the Anacondaur stiffened. It then began to thrash wildly, out of control. Squall pulled back his sword and jumped back out of the way as the serpent began to writhe across the ground, heading back towards the edge of the path where it broke into a rocky slope.

Zell ran in to give it another swift punch. The Anacondaur recovered just enough to swing its barbed tail, forcing Zell to stop its advance. The serpent retreated into the bushes, hissing through its broken jaw. The pain must have blinded it to its position on the path, for it headed closer and closer to the edge of the cliff. Eventually it reached the edge and fell off, tumbling down the rocks, shrieking.

Seifer was still battling the other serpent. He jumped over the swinging tail and ran in close. He thrust out his sword, and the blade sank deeply into the Anacondaur's throat. The snake gave a strangled choke and slumped. Before the snake's excessive weight could overpower him, Seifer placed his boot on its torso and shoved it off. The serpent toppled backward into the bushes, where the natural shrubbery masked its presence. Seifer sighed in satisfaction as he took out a cloth and began to wipe his sword clean.

Silence returned to the path. Squall looked up and down the path warily. The sounds of their battle with the Anacondaurs could have alerted the soldiers patrolling the area and come to investigate the commotion. No soldiers showed up, however. They were in the clear.

Zell went into the bushes and found the Dollet soldier. The man was badly wounded. His leg was torn up pretty badly, but he was still alive. Zell dragged him out and leaned him against the cliff wall. He placed his hands gently over the soldier's wounded leg. Coloured light began to shimmer around his hands. It descended onto the wound, and after a few seconds the wound slowly began to heal. The flesh started to knit together, bit by bit until, finally, it closed. The soldier was still unconscious.

"Monsters, huh?" said Squall, looking down at the soldier.

Zell rubbed his hands together and rose to his feet. "That sucks."

Seifer shrugged. "More fun for us," he said. "Come on…" Turning his back on the soldier, Seifer hurried on up the slope.

Zell watched him go. "…Fun?" he repeated. He shook his head. "Pu-lease…"

Leaving the Dollet soldier to rest by the cliff wall, Squall and Zell ran up the slope after Seifer. They found him at the peak, looking down over the edge of a cliff to the entrance of the tower. The tower itself rose way above them, its metal surface glinting in the afternoon sun.

Squall and Zell joined their squad leader, and the three of them lay down on the dry soil to observe the tower entrance. There were two Galbadian soldiers standing guard outside. Squall raised his eyebrow. The Dollet soldier had been right: the enemy had taken control of the tower. But for what purpose could they want it?

The door to the tower opened and Squall returned his attention to the mission at hand. A third Galbadian soldier stepped out. His comrades turned to him.

"The generator is up and running!" said one soldier loudly, his voice carrying all the way up to the three hiding on the cliff.

"No problem with the boosters!" said the other soldier, just as loudly.

Zell shuffled along the grass and leaned close to Squall. "…The hell they doing?" he asked in a whisper. Squall did not reply. He was focused on what they were saying.

The third soldier raised his hand and saluted his comrades. "Cable disconnection confirmed! Beginning exchange process!"

"Roger."

After this brief exchange, all three soldiers then entered the tower. The doors slid shut behind them. With the coast clear, the three students stood up.

"Repairs…?" asked Squall, thinking aloud.

Seifer shrugged. "Who cares?" The swordsman sighed and resumed tapping his sword against his shoulder. He looked at Squall, who was gazing thoughtfully at the tower. "This must be your first real battle," he said to him. "You scared?"

Squall glanced at him briefly and then looked away. "…I don't know," he admitted. He walked up to the edge of the cliff and looked down to where the three soldiers had stood. "I try not to think about it."

"I love battles," Seifer continued, as though he hadn't heard. "I fear nothing." He looked up at the sky and raised his hand, letting the light shine through his fingers. "The way I look at it, as long as you make it out of a battle alive, you're one step closer to fulfilling your dream."

Squall turned and stared at him in surprise. "What! Your dream?"

Seifer lowered his hand. "You have one too, don't you?" he asked.

Folding his arms firmly over his chest, Squall looked away from him. "…Sorry, but I'm gonna pass on that subject," he said quietly.

"Yo!" said Zell, walking over. "Let me in on it, too!"

"Mind your own business," Seifer snapped.

Zell scowled. "Friggin' hell…" he grunted irritably, and he swiped his fists in front of Seifer's face.

Unconcerned by Zell's display of aggression, Seifer casually leaned his head back and let the punches slide past him. "What's the matter, Zell?" he asked. "Swatting flies?"

Zell's face reddened and his fists trembled in anger. Seifer sneered at him. The swordsman then walked past him and headed down the path leading to the tower entrance. Once he disappeared around the bend, Zell tightened his fist and slammed it into the ground. "Damn you…!" he cursed. He shook his head.

"There you are!"

Zell jumped to his feet just as a small figure ran up along the rocks behind them. It was a girl, wearing a SeeD student uniform. It took Squall a moment to recognise her as the same girl he had shown around Garden earlier that day. He probably would not have recognised her at all if it had not been for that turned-out brown hair and innocent expression.

She made her way carefully over the rocks. Her shoe slipped, and she tumbled forward. She rolled over the rocks—Zell winced—and landed on the ground in front of them. Leaves fell from her shoulders as she sat up. She flushed and rubbed the back of her head. She grinned and stuck out her tongue. The girl climbed to her feet and brushed the dirt from her uniform, before turning to the two men in front of her.

"Are you… Squad B?" she asked. When Squall nodded, the girl narrowed her eyes and looked at him closely. "Wait a minute…" she said. "You're the guy who showed me around, right!" Squall nodded again, and the girl's eyes brightened. "Thanks! I don't get so lost anymore. Oh yeah, I haven't told you my name yet.

"I'm… a messenger," she continued. "Name's Selphie, from Squad A." She looked at Squall and then at Zell. "The squad captain's Seifer, right? Where is he?"

Squall turned from her and looked down to the base of the Communication Tower. Seifer had reached the bottom and was now approaching the entrance. Before he reached the door he stopped and looked up at Squall. Their eyes met. Squall broke the gaze first and pointed down to him.

"One of these days," Seifer called up, "I'm gonna tell ya 'bout my ROMANTIC dream!" And with that, he ran to the tower. The doors opened automatically, and he ran inside.

Seeing her objective disappear inside the tower, Selphie dropped her arms and sighed heavily. "This sure is tough…" she said, shaking her head. She then stood up straight, clenched her fists, and ran to the cliff edge. "Captain! Wait up!"

Then, as suddenly as she had come, she vanished, disappearing over the cliff edge. Zell jumped back in alarm. The girl had actually _jumped_ off the edge! He waited to hear a crash and the sound of breaking bones. All he heard was a thud, scrabbling, and then the girl ran out onto the path below. Selphie stopped by the tower and waved her arms back and forth.

"What are you waiting for!" she called up to them. "Come on! Come on!"

Zell stared at her, unable to believe what he had just seen. Jumping off a cliff like that… was this girl _normal?_ It was no small drop, either, and there were a number of rocks clustered about the bottom. He was about to ask Squall what he thought when he saw the swordsman walk forward and stand at the edge.

"Squall…" he began hesitantly. "You're not gonna…"

Squall did not reply. He peered down over the cliff edge to the rocks below, gauging the distance. The rocks had been piled neatly against the cliff wall, creating a slope. He could probably jump it. …Probably.

Seeing a serious look pass over Squall's face, Zell paled. "It's a cliff, man…" he said feebly. "You're not gonna jump off…?" Surely Squall wasn't actually going to…?

Apparently he was, for Squall looked back at him and said: "That's the plan." And with that, he too jumped off the cliff.

Zell stared at the empty space where Squall had previously stood. He shook his head. "Are you serious…?" he asked aloud, though it was only to himself.

Still, Zell Dincht was not a man to be outdone. So although every instinct inside him told him to play it safe and follow the path, he went up to the edge, stepped back, and then took a flying leap over the edge.

"Geronimoooooo!"

The ground rushed up at him. He landed on the rocks. His weight caused the boulders to shift and he almost lost his balance. Luckily his training in martial arts had given him quick reflexes, and so Zell adjusted his balance and jumped off the rocks to the path. Once there he paused, breathing deeply. He'd just jumped off a cliff! Was he as crazy as this Selphie girl?

"Well, let's get goin'," said Selphie when Squall and Zell—still breathing deeply—finally joined her. She looked at them both. "Has everyone equipped a GF? You haven't forgotten… Have you…?"

* * *

**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS**

Just a note to say that I have amended parts of chapters two and five. A reviewer pointed out to me that the gunblade does not use actual bullets, but blanks that cause the blade to recoil, thus causing more damage. As such I have amended the battles to reflect this. As always, if you spot any errors like this, please let me know.


	8. Part 01: Chapter 07

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Seven**

The three students approached the Communication Tower. It seemed much taller up close. Their gazes drifted to the top of the tower, taking it in. Squall stared and then raised an eyebrow. The top of the tower was bare—the satellite dish used to transmit radio waves was missing. It was no surprise. Radio waves hadn't been used in nearly twenty years. HD cable, online broadcasting… that was the modern method of communication. That was why all of this didn't make any sense.

"So this is the Communication Tower…?" asked Zell, interrupting Squall's thoughts.

"Sure is big…" Selphie said.

They fell silent, staring up at the tower. For a building that was occupied by Galbadian soldiers, it was extremely quiet. Then, just as they thought this, a loud and terrified scream broke the silence.

"Ah… AAHHH!"

The screams came from inside the tower. The doors slid open and the two soldiers who had been guarding the entrance came running out. They paid no attention to Squall or his friends as they came dashing past, hurrying to escape the tower. The reason for their fear soon became clear as Seifer came running out behind them. The swordsman's blue eyes were glinting dangerously as he swiped his sword through the air, making it whoosh. He stopped in the doorway, watching as the soldiers fled.

"Cowards," he muttered in disgust.

Selphie ran up to him. "HEEEY!" she said loudly, trying to draw his attention.

Seifer didn't even look at her. Nor did he look at Squall or Zell. He just turned back to the tower and went back inside, disappearing into the shadows beyond. The tower doors remained open. Selphie looked at the doors and then at Squall, who hadn't moved. She gestured to the tower.

"The captain's getting away!" she cried, a not-so-subtle hint that they follow him.

Squall looked away and placed his hand on his hip, thinking. There was no other choice. They would have to follow Seifer into the Communication Tower.

Whether he'd made up his mind or not, Selphie was already on the move. She ran to the open doorway and paused at the entrance, peering around inside. As she looked around, Squall noticed that she had a set of nunchaku—a brand known as the 'Flail', hooked onto the back of her skirt. It was an unusual weapon favoured by the students of Trabia Garden to the east. Well, at least that answered the question of which Garden this girl had come from.

After peering around to make sure the coast was clear, Selphie hurried inside. Reluctantly, Squall and Zell ran in after her.

It was quite dark inside the tower; only a few lights illuminated the darkness. The air was stale and had a thick, rusted odour to it. Clearly, this tower had indeed been abandoned for a very long time. Squall wondered why the Dollet Dukedom had never dismantled the tower or put it to some other use, instead of leaving it as a rusting relic of days gone by.

The dust was thick over the ground. When they looked down they saw that much of it had been recently disturbed and was covered in footprints, likely from Seifer and the Galbadians. There was no sign of Seifer anywhere on the ground floor, and no sign of the Galbadians, either. They had gone.

A sound came from above and the three students looked up. An open platform lift was descending from the upper levels and approaching the ground floor. It settled on the ground, disturbing the dust and sending it up into the air, making Zell cough. The lift was empty.

"…Did he go up?" asked Squall, referring to Seifer. The swordsman folded his arms. Had Seifer gone up and sent the lift back down to collect them? …Unlikely.

Selphie stepped up to the lift and peered upwards. The lift appeared to go straight up to the top of the tower—there didn't seem to be any other stops. "Heeey!" she called, her voice echoing off the rising walls. "Squad B captain!"

There was no reply. Wherever he was, Seifer couldn't hear them. In fact, for a place that was occupied by Galbadians, the tower was eerily quiet. Zell walked up to the lift and looked at a control panel, checking it out.

"I think we can take this lift up…" said Squall finally.

Selphie, who was also examining the lift, turned to him. "Wanna go up?" she asked.

_Better than staying down here,_ Squall thought. He nodded. "Go up."

The three students stepped onto the lift. Zell pushed a button on the control panel. The lift shuddered and began to rise, disturbing the dust once more. After a few shaky movements the lift rose steadily. There were no rails or bars to hold onto while it rose, so they had to keep as still as possible. Well… two of them did.

"Hey, this lift is pretty cool!" said Selphie, peering over the edge.

"Don't get too excited, or you'll fall," Zell said with a chuckle.

"Like I'm really going to!"

* * *

"Major Biggs!" said Lieutenant Wedge loudly, trying to draw the major's attention.

In front of him Major Biggs, commander of the Dollet Invasion Force, grunted irritably. The major was hard at work at finishing off the repairs to the tower's outer control panel. Years of neglect had left the panel in a state of disrepair, as was much of the old Communication Tower. Many of the wires were rusted and exposed, and knobs and dials had fallen off. The major had protested vehemently when he was informed that he would be in charge of conducting the repairs to the old tower. Still, orders were orders. However, the major made sure that his soldiers suffered just as much as he was. He paid no attention to the lieutenant behind him.

Lieutenant Wedge tried again. "There have been reports of a monster-shaped shadow on top of the tower," he said. He waited to see the major's response. Major Biggs, however, did not reply. "Major Biggs!"

"Be quiet!" the major snapped, without turning. "I'm busy!"

Wedge flinched, startled. Major Biggs looked down at the portable control panel in his hand, comparing the details on the screen with the console in front of him.

"This goes like this…" the major muttered to himself, fiddling with the dials. "And… Geez, what's with these crappy old tools?" He bent down to pick up a rusted screwdriver. Thrusting it into the console, he tried to pry out a knot of old wires. Flecks of red rust came off the wires as he fiddled about, covering his gloves. "And… and… Why do I have to make all the repairs!" he shouted, angry.

At that exact moment the console shuddered and crackled with electricity. The sparks danced over the console and onto the major's hands. Major Biggs cried out in shock, dropping the screwdriver. "AHHH!" he cried, cradling his hands.

Lieutenant Wedge shuffled nervously. Major Biggs was a terrifying man to be around when he was in a bad mood. Which, unfortunately, was most of the time. Just as unfortunately, Galbadian soldiers could lose a month's pay just because their superior was in a bad mood. Best to leave Major Biggs alone, Wedge decided wisely.

"Sir, I'll check around while the repairs are being done," he said, knowing he was not being heard. The lieutenant then quickly turned and to explore the rest of the tower.

Major Biggs did not hear him, or even acknowledge his departure. The major carried on with his repairs, reattaching the broken and rusted wires.

"Let's see… Hmmm…" he muttered to himself. He took two wire ends and twisted them carefully around each other, re-establishing the connection between them. After making sure they would not come apart, he placed them back with the other wires. Then he picked up a broken dial knob and slotted it back into place. "Put this here…" He tugged it a few times to make sure it wouldn't come off. "And…"

And so he went on with his work. In fact Major Biggs was so engrossed in his work that he did not notice when the lift carrying Squall, Zell and Selphie came up behind him. Nor did he notice when the students ran out onto the outer grid.

"This goes here…" the major continued, oblivious to the stares of the three students behind him. "And… There, it's complete!" He pushed a button on the panel and then slammed the door shut.

A loud hum rumbled from deep within the Communication Tower. Squall, Zell and Selphie stared around them as the tower began to vibrate, causing the gridded plating beneath their feet to tremble. The trembling grew stronger—they could feel it in their bones—and Selphie watched in awe as a spanner from the toolbox began to dance along the grid, shaken about by the hum. It moved along the grid until it reached a gap in the floor. It fell through the gap and tumbled downwards. It clanged against a metal beam and then fell to the ocean at the foot of the cliff.

Inside the tower everything was coming alive. Machinery that had lain dormant for nearly twenty years activated and rumbled with life. Lights flicked on and lit up the darkened corridors. More lights lit up along the outside. It was amazing that everything still worked even after all these years. Switches flicked and dials turned. In the bowels of the tower a shaft opened, releasing a metal tube. The tube surged up the shaft, heading for the surface.

Squall heard its approach and turned in time to see the tube shoot up out of the tower. It came to a stop above him and clamps closed over it, holding it in place. There was a moment's pause. Then lights flickered on and the tube tilted sideways into an angle, its tip pointed up at the sky. It opened up like a flower, extending three long metal bars. These bars suddenly spread out and joined with one another, creating a large, flat disc. The disc curved over and Squall realised at once what it was: the missing satellite dish.

He watched as numerous antennae emerged from the centre of the dish and extended outwards. They crackled and buzzed and the air itself seemed to come alive, pulsing with energy. It made the hairs on their arms and necks stand on end. Three smaller satellite dishes gathered around the main one also began to crackle, sending their own signals. The transformation was complete: the tower was active.

The Galbadian major was staring up at the transmitting satellite dish, pleased. Now the Galbadians could achieve their goal. He hadn't even noticed Squall or his group.

Squall tore his eyes away from the satellite dish and ran forward to the major. "What do you think you're doing!" he demanded.

Major Biggs also tore his eyes away from the dish and looked at Squall. "Huhhhh?" he said in confusion. He then puffed himself up and assumed an authoritative stance. "Likewise, MISTER!" he retorted hotly. "What do you think you're doing!"

The major then paused as he realised, suddenly, that these kids should not be here at all. "H-HEY! What happened to all the soldiers down below!" he asked. He jabbed his finger at them. "WEDGE!" he commanded. "Take care of these twerps!"

He received no answer. Lieutenant Wedge was nowhere to be seen. Major Biggs glanced around nervously, realising, for the first time, that he as alone here.

"W…Wedge?" he repeated, almost meekly.

His eyes flitted from student to student. He glanced at Zell, who flashed him a smug grin as he crossed one leg over the other and flexed his fists. He then turned to Selphie, who placed her hands behind her back and smiled innocently. Lastly he looked at Squall, who placed a hand on his hip and gave him a firm stare. The major's eyes drifted down to their uniforms and the symbol on their right sleeves. Recognition dawned in the major's eyes, and he gulped loudly.

"I… ah…" he stammered. His fingers drummed against the console he was holding. "Well… ah… I seem to be done here, so I'll just be on my…"

The major then began to shuffle slowly forwards, step by step, past the students. Squall, Zell and Selphie turned with him, watching him go. "Move it!" the major said, though his commanding tone had gone. "Move… move…"

He continued to shuffle until he reached the lift, which was just rising back to the top floor. Squall couldn't recall seeing it go back down, but when it did come back up it brought Seifer with it. The major had his back to Seifer and so didn't notice him. Seifer stepped off the lift and swung his sword, catching the major's hand. Major Biggs cried out and cradled his hand. His console clattered onto the floor.

"Sorry to crash the party," said Seifer casually. Zell tightened his fists.

Major Biggs, still cradling his hand, stepped back in alarm. "Ah… AHH… AHHHH!" he cried. "Are you CRAZY!"

Seifer ignored the question and spat on the ground. "Just shut UP."

He raised his sword. Seeing the raised weapon, Major Biggs turned and ran across the outer grid. He brushed past Zell, making him stagger against the wall, and ran to the console where he had been working. He picked up a rusty metal bar from the floor and held it in both hands like a club.

"Prepare for the worst, you brats!" he shouted loudly, and then charged at them.

He charged at Squall first, hoping to knock the student off the tower. Squall jumped back as the major swung the metal bar, narrowly missing his face. He landed against Seifer, who shoved him aside and then darted forward. Squall staggered back, coming perilously close to the edge of the platform. Quickly Selphie grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

The major swung his bar at Seifer, who raised his sword to block the blow. To Seifer's right Zell tried to move in for an attack, but Seifer thrust out his hand and pushed him back. He flashed Zell a glance and his message was clear: stay out of my way.

The swordsman advanced on the Galbadian major. He swung his sword in large, sweeping arcs, forcing the major back. In one arc the sharp blade sliced across the metal gridding. Sparks rose from where metal scraped along metal, and a long scratch was left in the sword's wake.

Major Biggs used his metal bar to block the repeated blows. When the blade clanged against the bar it sent shudders all down his arms, but he held firm. Each blow left a dent in the metal, a dent that grew bigger with each strike. Eventually the bar snapped in two, unable to take the strain.

Seifer grinned and brought his sword down hard. Seeing this, Major Biggs hurriedly crossed the two pieces in front of him. The gunblade smashed into the bars but did not cut through, and Seifer began to press down on them, trying make them snap. The major was at a disadvantage, having to use both arms to keep the sword at bay. He dropped down onto one knee to support himself, continuing to push back.

"Major Biggs… Have you finished the repairs, sir?"

Squall looked up. From behind the main console where the major had been working emerged Lieutenant Wedge. The lieutenant paused. When he saw his commander on his knees with Seifer's sword just inches from his head, he jumped back in alarm.

"What is the enemy doing here!" he cried, stepping out.

Seifer glanced up and cursed in irritation at the interruption. He pressed down harder on his sword, bringing the blade close to the glass of the major's helmet. Thin lines of metal peeled off the bars as the gunblade sliced through them. Major Biggs grunted loudly and pushed back with all his strength, keeping Seifer at bay.

"WEDGE!" he bellowed through gritted teeth. "Where were you!" He flashed the lieutenant a scathing glance over his shoulder. "No pay for you this month!"

At this Lieutenant Wedge flinched, already feeling the loss in his wallet. "…Should've stayed home," he grumbled miserably. He shook his head. Then he drew his sword from its sheath and ran forward to support his commander.

Before he could reach Major Biggs, however, another figure suddenly appeared in front of him and struck him a powerful blow on the front of his helmet. The lieutenant staggered back, startled, clutching his cracked visor. He looked up to see Zell standing in front of him. The fighter cracked his knuckles and walked forward. Squall walked alongside him, his gunblade drawn and glinting in the afternoon light.

Lieutenant Wedge stepped back, and then stopped. He shook his head. What was he getting so worked up for? These were _kids_! This was probably their first battle. The one in the white trenchcoat looked like he posed a threat, but these others… The lieutenant smiled. He grasped his sword in both hands and charged.

Zell started to go forward but Squall ran past him and met the lieutenant head-on. They clashed blades, which flashed as they caught the sun's light. Both men put all their weight into their blades, each trying to force the other back. Squall proved to be the stronger of the two and pushed the lieutenant back. He staggered back, tripped over the toolbox, and fell back onto the floor. His sword fell next to him.

Then Zell was on him, punching him repeatedly in the face and chest. Somehow he managed to catch those powerful fists and pushed Zell back. Then he sat up, reached out and grabbed his sword. He swung hit and Zell rolled back and onto his feet. Wedge did the same, rising to his feet and briefly glanced over at his commander. His eyes widened.

Squall ran up and thrust out his sword, and Wedge barely had time to raise his and blow the blow. Sparks rose from the clashing blades, and they resumed their previous battle. This time it was Wedge who proved himself the stronger and forced Squall back.

The swordsman recovered his balance quickly. When he looked up the lieutenant was rushing towards him with his blade thrust out. Squall quickly dived out of the way and rolled. Wedge passed him and carried on running. Only then did Squall realise Wedge's true objective: his commander.

Major Biggs was still locked in a fierce confrontation with Seifer: a confrontation that had ended up with Major Biggs being perilously close to the edge of the platform. Seifer had him on the ropes and was driving him back with his sword, fully prepared to send the major falling over the edge. Seeing this, Wedge had altered his attack so that he would end up charging at Seifer in an attempt to rescue his commander.

Something flashed in front of him. Wedge only got the briefest of glimpses of it: a long wooden bar with golden studs, attached to a chain… It wrapped around the blade of his sword and then tugged hard. Wedge was pulled off his feet. He slammed hard into the ground, still holding his sword. He rolled close to Seifer, who jumped back out of the way. Major Biggs jumped over him, not caring, and ran forward to continue fighting his opponent.

Wedge shook his head and started to rise to his feet. A boot then slammed down on his hand, causing him to cry out. He looked up. Selphie—he had forgotten there was a fourth one—was standing over him. With a flick of her wrist the Flail detached itself from the lieutenant's blade and returned to her hand. Holding both bars, she tapped it nonchalantly against her shoulder, an innocent grin on her face.

A pair of strong hands grabbed the lieutenant's shoulders and hefted him roughly to his feet. He was spun around and then keeled over as Zell delivered a swift and powerful punch to the gut. The lieutenant coughed, winded. Zell then grabbed his helmet and pulled his head back up. He punched the visor, smashing it completely, and Wedge cried out as the fist connected with his cheekbone.

Wedge staggered back. He fell back onto the gridding. A sharp pain shot up his arm; he had a dislocated bone in his right hand where Selphie had stamped on him. There was a flash of movement and Wedge scrabbled back, just as Squall's sword came smashing down in front of him. The lieutenant stopped by the repaired console and leaned against it, cradling his injured hand.

He heard a loud grunt and Major Biggs came staggering back to stand beside him. He had lost the metal bars he had been using as a weapon. He now fiddled with the mechanism on his right arm. Wedge looked at him and then at the four SeeD students, who were walking towards them.

"Major!" the lieutenant cried, turning back to his commander. "We're doomed!"

Major Biggs didn't even spare him a glance. "Stop your whining!" he snapped.

He turned to Wedge and spread his hands. A fluorescent green light passed over them and then descended onto the lieutenant. His armour sparkled as the light passed straight through and entered his body. His breathing became easier and there was a gentle, painless crack in his hand as a finger bone slid back into place. The cuts on his face from the broken visor healed. Wedge looked down at his hand and flexed his fingers. There was no pain. He was healed.

Squall paused. Of course, he had almost forgotten: Galbadian soldiers could also use para-magic. He was also willing to bet that they had more para-magic up their sleeves than just healing magic. But it would be dangerous to use magic up here, with all of this equipment around them. He was sure the Galbadians would not take such a risk.

Apparently he thought wrong, for when Major Biggs had finished fiddling with his arm mechanism he raised it and pointed it at the students. He closed his fist, and a cloud of flame began to form around it. With his free hand he pressed a button on the mechanism and it opened fire, releasing a barrage of bullets. The bullets were coated in a special material, so that when they passed through the flames they caught fire. These fiery bullets headed towards the four students.

Squall, Zell and Selphie leaped back as the flame-covered bullets came zipping towards them. Many zipped harmlessly past. One bullet, however, caught Zell's forearm and cut a burning gash in the flesh. The fighter gripped his burned arm and dropped onto his knees. Squall hurriedly darted in front and guarded him with his blade, shielding him from the advancing bullets.

Seifer, meanwhile, had not budged. He was completely unafraid by the fiery barrage flying around him. After blocking a few rounds with his sword he charged forward, a dangerous glint in his eye.

He charged at the major, who stopped firing and used his gun-arm armour to block the gunblade's attack. Lieutenant Wedge finally got back to his feet and ran in to attack from behind, but Squall was faster and blocked the lieutenant's blade with his own.

And so the confrontation continued. The two Galbadian soldiers together proved a formidable pair, giving back as much as they received. Though outnumbered two-to-one, their skill and experience gave them a distinct edge.

Then, something strange happened. As the two groups separated, pausing to catch their breath, a strong breeze started to blow. It grew stronger, whipping around them. Squall looked around him, trying to find the source of the sudden wind.

A loud roar—the roar of the wind—came from above them. Squall looked up. A tornado had formed, rising from behind the satellite dish. It twisted in midair and descended upon the Galbadian major. Major Biggs looked up in alarm as he was surrounded by the strong, swirling wind.

"What the…!" he cried.

The wind grew stronger, and before Major Biggs knew what was happening, he was lifted up off the ground. The wind carried him up, spinning him in its rapid current. He rose higher and higher before finally emerging from of the cyclone. He sailed over the students and slammed into the grid behind them. He rolled, once, and then stopped.

The tornado then moved and passed over Wedge. The lieutenant's eyes widened in fright as the wind settled over him. He felt its strong pull on his body and he too was lifted into the air. His sword was wrenched from his hand and went flying dangerously through the air. It was blown out of the cyclone and went tumbling over the edge of the grid, falling down towards the ocean below.

"Ahhhhhh!" Wedge cried, as he found himself also being thrown through the air. He landed heavily on the gridding alongside his commander. He hit his head hard and lost consciousness almost immediately, rolling to a stop close to the major.

The tornado was still swirling. It stayed there for a few more moments before it thinned and dissipated. Seifer stepped forward, looking at the spot where the two soldiers had been standing just moments before.

A piercing screech sounded overhead. Zell looked up. When he saw the source of that screech his eyes widened in alarm, his pupils widening.

"What the hell is it!"


	9. Part 01: Chapter 08

**Final Fantasy VIII **

**EmeraldPrincess of Vernea **

**Chapter Eight**

At Zell's cry, Squall and the others looked up. A dark shadow passed over them, originating from a large and burly creature that had just risen up from behind the satellite dish. Its appearance was so sudden that Selphie cried out in alarm. The creature flew over them and began to descend, floating on large, leathery wings.

The monster was called Elvoret. It was a great winged beast, so large it towered over Squall and his companions. The monster lived inside the abandoned Tower and had done so for many years, though no one knew for sure where it had come from originally. The citizens of Dollet were aware of its existence, and that was why nobody came to the Tower anymore. No one dared to disturb the nest of the creature that had made the Tower its home. With stretched, leathery flesh, giant claws on equally giant hands, and a sharp stinger sticking out of a tough, rock-like tail, Elvoret was a terrifying sight.

Its face was mostly hidden by an elongated attached to its lower jaw. The only parts of its face visible were its burrowing forehead and cold white eyes. These eyes bored into them, brimming with hunger and malice, as the monster descended and settled in front of them, hovering off the ground. Its wings beat steadily, sending a breeze across the Tower.

"What the hell is it!" shouted Zell again.

At first, no one responded. Then Seifer raised his gunblade and pointed it at the beast. "Who cares?" he said. "Just take it down!"

With that, Seifer charged at Elvoret. The monster moved forward and swiped its massive hand across the platform. Seifer dodged past the claws and swung his sword. The tip scraped across the rock-like tail, cutting a long, thin gash. Elvoret screeched in annoyance and moved in for another attack.

Zell watched as Seifer began to duck and dodge past Elvoret's sweeping hands. "You're kidding…!" the fighter breathed. He looked at Squall. The swordsman said nothing, but nodded his head silently. Behind him, Selphie raised her nunchaku. Zell stared at them both, sighed, and ran over to join them. He couldn't deny it for long: he too wanted a chance at fighting this monster.

Squall raised his sword and broke into a run, charging at the monster. He ran past Seifer and approached the monster. He swung his blade. The blade struck the monster's tail hard, and Squall grunted as he felt the shock of the blow shoot up his arms. The tail's hard surface was tougher than he had expected, and the blade left barely more than a scrape.

Elvoret looked down at him. Its cold, pupilless eyes fixed on his. Looking straight into those eyes, Squall froze for a brief moment. But in that brief moment, when their eyes connected, the swordsman felt the strangest sensation. It was as though in that instant when their eyes met, a second set of eyes looked out and peered at him.

Elvoret swept its long arm across the platform. Squall broke their gaze and jumped back. He skidded to a stop and gazed up at the monster. Was the Elvoret possessed? No… Monsters that were possessed emitted a different aura. This one was not possessed. So what was this feeling…?

He had little time to ponder this, for Elvoret was once again on the move. The monster surged forward and swept its arms across the platform again. It hit Zell, who had run in from the side, and sent him flying back into Seifer. As the two struggled and threw heated words at each other Elvoret turned from them and continued its advance on Squall. The swordsman raised his sword, ready to attack.

The monster thrust out its hand with the intent to swipe Squall off the platform. Before it could reach him, however, Selphie ran in and swung her nunchaku. The Flail whipped around one of the monster's long claws and then snapped tight with a loud _THWACK!_ The young woman pulled with all her might, preventing the arm from moving.

Elvoret's eyes turned to her, its face angered. Selphie ignored its gaze and placed her hand on the claw's rugged surface.

"_Blizzard!"_ she shouted.

The air around her grew chill. Elvoret stared in confusion as ice began to form underneath the girl's palm and spread out along its claw. Selphie flicked her wrist and released her nunchaku as the ice began to spread rapidly. It moved along the claw and onto the monster's hand. Elvoret screeched at the burning cold. The ice grew thicker and then spread onto the ground, closing around the gridded floor. The monster was trapped.

Elvoret flapped its wings and attempted to pull back. The ice was continuing to grow and was spreading up its arm towards its left shoulder. The monster shrieked, panicked by its sudden entrapment, and tried to pull its arm out of the ice. However, the ice was thick and refused to shatter. The monster resorted to beating its free arm violently against the ice, but still it refused to break. The ice was strong, and Elvoret could not break free.

Seeing his chance to strike, Zell ran forward and leaped onto the monster's arm. He dodged one of the frantic blows and charged up to the monster's face. Elvoret was uglier up close: Zell could smell its foul breath on his face. He ignored the foul scent and drew back his fist. With all his might, he punched and delivered a crushing blow to the monster's jutting jaw.

There was a painful crack, as Zell's knuckles connected with the exterior jaw. The monster's head was thrown sideways and chunks of flesh, ripped from the bone by Zell's studded gloves, went flying through the air.

For a short moment Elvoret froze, overcome by the sudden blow. Then, realising that its jaw had not broken, it snapped its head back around and glared fiercely at Zell. Raising its arm, it swept Zell off its shoulder in a single blow and sent the fighter hurtling towards the ground.

Squall ran in to catch him. The fighter slammed into him, and the two men went tumbling backwards. Zell groaned as he climbed off, and shook his head. Squall meanwhile rolled onto his front. He groped about for his sword, which he had dropped during their tumble.

"Hey! What's-your-names? Look out!"

At the sound of Selphie's voice, Squall and Zell looked up. Elvoret was right behind them, its wings beating steadily to keep it in the air. Its tail was poised and ready, with the stinger pointing straight at them. Razor sharp and about the same length as a human arm, it was a deadly weapon.

Without warning, Elvoret thrust its stinger forward. Squall and Zell quickly rolled away from each other. The stinger hit the metal gridding with a dull clang. Zell rolled clear and climbed back onto his feet. He raised his fists, ready to fight back.

But Elvoret was no longer paying any attention to Zell. The beast was advancing on Squall, who was cornered against the edge of the platform. With no wall behind him, the only exit was straight down into the ocean below.

Elvoret raised its stinger and thrust it out again. The swordsman quickly raised his blade. The stinger struck the blade's edge, swerving off-course just enough to send it slamming into the gridding by Squall's feet. Elvoret roared in annoyance. It raised its large, clawed hand, and sparks of electric energy began to flicker around its hand. Thunder magic. Squall braced himself for the blow.

There was a flash, followed by a loud _KER-CRACK!_ Squall's body tensed up, preparing himself for the intense shock. Except it never came. Squall opened his eyes and looked up at the figure now standing in front of him.

It was Seifer. At the instant the Thunder magic was released, Seifer had run in front of Squall and raised his sword. Using it like an electric rod, he had absorbed the magical blast. Electric sparks danced over the blade and up Seifer's arm to his shoulder. The swordsman lowered his arm and circled it to loosen up his muscles.

"Get up!" Seifer snapped, grunting as he flexed his tightened muscles. He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing. "If you aren't going to make yourself useful," he added in a cold tone, "then get out of the way!"

Squall glared back at him, and then pushed himself back onto his feet. Looking past Seifer, he saw that Zell and Selphie were fighting together to drive Elvoret back against the wall of the Tower. Zell punched and kicked, and when he pulled back Selphie unleashed another round of Ice attacks. Elvoret was more wary of her now, and made sure to dodge. Seeing that her ice attacks were being dodged, Selphie switched tactics and began to use Fire magic instead. She was very gifted at magic.

Seeing Squall back on his feet, Seifer smirked and ran off to rejoin the battle. Seeing that mocking smirk, Squall felt his face burn. Quickly he swallowed to regain control of himself. What Seifer thought didn't matter. Still, a part of him couldn't help but feel angered…

Gripping his sword tightly, Squall ran back into the battle. The monster was now backed up against the wall, driven back by Zell and Selphie. It screeched angrily as its wings scraped against the wall. It swung its arms, narrowly missing Zell and Selphie, who both jumped back. That was a mistake. Seeing them supposedly withdrawing, Elvoret surged forward.

Suddenly it stopped. Its eyes widened. It hovered in the air, frozen, with its arms outstretched. In front of the beast was Seifer, his sword embedded in the monster's rocky tail. The swordsman twisted the blade and the hardened flesh cracked further. Elvoret screeched, agonised. Blood poured out of the wound, thick and slow.

Seifer started to withdraw his blade, but then thrust it in again for a second brutal stab. Again Elvoret screeched and threw its arms into the air. The monster started to bring its arms down to brush Seifer aside, but then stopped and shrieked for a third time as a second blade—Squall's—sank into its tail from the side.

Squall gritted his teeth as he pushed the blade further into the tail. The rocky casing that protected it was thick and difficult to cut through. Squall put all his weight into the blade, forcing it deeper. Elvoret started to writhe and the two swordsmen quickly withdrew their gunblades. They drew back. As they stepped back Selphie started to go forward, but Seifer pushed her roughly backwards and charged at the monster.

He swung his sword. Elvoret pulled away at the last minute and the sword sailed harmlessly past. Before Seifer could recover, the monster reached out a hand and closed its claws around the man's body.

"Seifer!" called Squall.

"Squad B captain!" cried Selphie, from the ground where she had fallen.

Zell helped her onto her feet. They watched helplessly as Elvoret lifted Seifer off the ground. The swordsman kicked and struggled, trying to break free of its grip. The claws tightened, cutting into his jacket, and Seifer gasped. He pushed back against the claws that kept his arms pinned to his sides, but his efforts were fruitless. The claws tightened further, forcing Seifer's hands open. His gunblade fell from his grasp and clattered onto the ground.

Elvoret lifted Seifer higher, over its head. With a roar the monster then hurled him at them, as easily as if he were a doll. Zell pulled Selphie aside as Seifer came flying past and hit the ground where they had been standing. Squall looked back at him. Seifer lay still for a moment, and then rolled onto his front, groaning. He was okay.

A screech turned Squall's attention back to Elvoret. The monster's long, jutting jaw lowered as its mouth opened wide. It began to suck in air, and Squall watched as its ribcage expanded to almost twice its normal size. Just when he thought the monster could not possibly hold anymore, Elvoret paused and then let it all back out again in a single, powerful gust.

The air hit them in full force. It formed into a whirlwind, and when it touched the ground the gridded platform shook violently. The three students braced themselves as the wind whipped around them, pulling and tugging at them. Squall suddenly remembered the two Galbadian soldiers, blown away by the same whipping wind. The swordsman spread out his legs and held his sword out in front of him, trying to block the ferocious wind.

There was a loud cry behind him and Squall turned. It was the girl, Selphie. The wind had caught hold of her and sent her staggering back to the edge of the platform. She stood at the very edge, her arms flailing. Zell left his place and hurried over to her. He grabbed hold of her hand just as she started to fall back, pulling her to safety. The two then dropped down onto their knees, bracing themselves against the wind.

After a few more moments the wind dissipated, as Elvoret finished expelling the excess air from its lungs. When it saw that Squall and the others were still standing, the monster roared in rage. Clearly it had not expected them to be still standing after its most powerful assault.

Squall glanced around him. Zell and Selphie were still on the ground recovering from the windblast. He could not see Seifer from his current position. It was just him and Elvoret. The monster was hovering hesitantly, pondering its next move. Squall did not want to give it the chance to decide. He readied his blade, preparing to charge.

Then he paused. Once again, he felt something… strange, as he looked up at the monster. Squall lowered his sword and gazed up at Elvoret. He looked into its eyes. There it was again: that flicker of intelligence that did not come from Elvoret, but from something else. What was it…?

Then the answer came to him, so suddenly that Squall could almost have kicked himself. He realised it when he felt a flicker of energy shift within him, inside his soul. That flicker came from the Guardian Forces he had bonded with. The monster Elvoret must also have a GF living inside of it, and was reacting to the battle.

Elvoret seemed to have made up its mind, for it suddenly surged forward. Squall ducked and rolled as the monster flew overhead. The moment it passed Squall rose to his feet. He held his sword ready before him, his eyes narrowing in determination.

He wanted that Guardian Force.

Elvoret turned back to face him. It had forgotten about Zell and Selphie, who were more than happy to use the distraction to run away from the platform's edge. It focused all of its attention on Squall, and started to advance once again.

The monster swung its arm. Squall dodged the sweeping claws and then charged. He called out with his mind; calling out to the GF's he had within him to lend him their strength. Only one GF responded: the GF Ifrit.

The fiery GF's energy swept throughout his body like swift-moving storm. It surged through him, filling every part of him and bolstering his strength. His muscles burned and his blood felt like it was about to boil over. He felt Ifrit's presence with him, urging him onward.

Squall stopped before the GF. He drew back his blade and, with Ifrit's added strength, thrust the blade up into the monster's chest.

The blade pierced Elvoret's chest. It cut right through the tough flesh and sank deep. Bone cracked, and Elvoret screeched in pain. At the end of its cry it breathed in, and Squall could hear its breath rattling in its lungs. The monster screeched again. Its screech was hoarse and raspy, and flecks of blood appeared on its mouth. The monster flailed its arms, screeching in agony.

Squall pulled out his sword. The red-hot fever that had overtaken him seconds before now faded, leaving him cool. Silently, he thanked the GF for his aid and then turned to face the writhing Elvoret.

He placed his hand against the monster's tail. He took a deep breath. He let it out and closed his eyes. Reaching out with his mind, he called out to the Guardian Force living inside of Elvoret. With the monster wounded, on the verge of death, he would draw out the GF and make it his own.

_Come to me,_ he thought.

At the edge of his consciousness, he felt the GF's presence. Squall beckoned to it, urging it to come forth. The GF responded and poured out of Elvoret, abandoning its dying host. Squall felt its spirit flow into him and merge with his own.

Only once the transference was complete did the GF finally reveal itself. In his mind's eye he saw a humanlike woman, tall and slender and with long, flowing hair the colour of gold. Two long wings protruded from her head, the same shade as her hair, their golden feathers rustling on their own. Her face was remarkably beautiful, smooth as marble, but it was her eyes that were the most amazing. They were bright green and hypnotising to look at. She held Squall's gaze.

"_I am Siren."_ Her voice was silent inside his mind. _"You who defeated Elvoret… My power is now yours. Use it well."_

With that, the GF's image disappeared. The bond was complete, and Siren was now his. Squall removed his hand from Elvoret's tail. The monster was still writhing in pain, but it was not dead yet. Squall raised his sword over his head, preparing to deliver the final blow.

Before he could strike, Elvoret gave an agonised screech. Its body stiffened. The flesh of its stomach swelled and then split open. Squall stared in amazement as the tip of a sword appeared through the slit. It was Seifer's sword. During the transference the swordsman had sneaked around behind the writhing monster and stabbed him, quite literally, in the back.

Squall lowered his gunblade and stepped back. Seifer pulled out his sword and he too stepped back. The monster, floating between them, began to twitch and shudder. As they watched flames began to erupt from within it, bursting out in small explosions all over its body. The monster shrieked and roared as flames and smoke rose around it, tearing its body apart.

Elvoret beat its wings, trying to put out the rapidly rising flames. It flew backwards until it passed over the edge of the platform. There its strength finally gave out and Elvoret fell from the Tower. It plummeted, still ablaze, down towards the rocks and the ocean below. It landed with a splash in the churning seas. Then it was gone.

Silence returned to the Tower. It continued for long moments. Then Seifer pulled a cloth from his trouser pocket and began to clean the blood from his sword. As he cleaned he looked up at Squall and flashed him a self-satisfied look. Squall stared back at him. Clearly Seifer was pleased that he had delivered the final blow and not Squall. Without saying a word, Squall calmly sheathed his gunblade. The monster was defeated, and that was all that mattered. Seifer, amused by Squall's apparent indifference, finished cleaning his sword and put the cloth away.

With Seifer in one place for the moment, Selphie took her chance. She jumped over a gap in the gridding and walked up to him. "Squad B Captain?"

Seifer grunted and did not look at her. Selphie tried again, raising her voice to ensure that he had heard her. "'Scuse me! I had new orders!"

At this Seifer sighed and turned to face her. Now that she finally had his attention, Selphie cleared her throat and stood at attention. "All SeeD members and SeeD candidates are to withdraw at 1900 hours," she reported. "Assemble at the shore!"

"Withdraw!" Seifer shouted in protest. "There are still enemies around!"

"I know, but I'm just a messenger," said Selphie.

"An order to withdraw takes priority," Squall said. "I don't want to miss the vessel."

Again, Seifer sighed. He could not believe that the order to withdraw had been given _already_, when things were only just getting interesting. Still, as much as he hated to admit it, the order _did_ take priority. He looked over at Selphie. "What time d'you say?" he asked her.

"Like I said…! All SeeD members and SeeD candidates are to withdraw at 1900 hours. Assemble at the shore!"

Seifer glanced down at his watch. It was almost 18:30. "1900 hours… We only have 30 minutes!" He walked to the edge of the platform and pointed down at the shore with his sword. The beach was just visible beyond a rocky outcrop. There the SeeD vessels waited for them. "You got 30 minutes to get down to the shore! Better run!"

'_You'?_ Squall raised an eyebrow. What did he mean by that?

Before he could ask, Seifer suddenly darted to the lift and punched the console. The lift started to go down, carrying Seifer with it.

"Heeey!" cried Selphie. She ran to the edge and looked down. "Wait for us!"

But Seifer did not wait. Instead he leered up at them as the lift carried him down. Once again, he was leaving them behind. As he disappeared into the shadows, Zell folded his arms and frowned.

"Who the hell does he think he is!" he demanded, looking at Squall.

"Why don't you ask him…" Squall answered with a sigh. He turned away. "Let's go."

Selphie nodded and stepped up to the edge, waiting for the lift. After a moment Zell joined her. His fists were still shaking, and his jaw was clenched tight.

Squall turned from them and looked around. The two Galbadian soldiers, Major Biggs and Lieutenant Wedge, were still lying unconscious on the ground. Squall wondered if they should do something about them and about the satellite dish, which was still transmitting overhead. But dealing with the soldiers and deactivating the dish would take time, and they had already received the order to withdraw. Best to let the Dollet military deal with the rest, Squall decided. They had to leave.

After a minute the lift came back up. Seifer at least had the consideration to send it back up to them. When it stopped the three students piled on. Zell punched the button and the lift started to descend, taking them back down.

Moments after the lift went down one of the two Galbadian soldiers came around. Major Biggs groaned as he pushed himself back onto his knees. His head pounded. When he tried to stand his vision swam and he almost passed out again. The major dropped back onto his knees and pressed his hands against his helmet, moaning.

When the fog finally cleared, Major Biggs looked up and glanced around the Tower. The Tower was still active, but there was no sign of the three students. The major cursed under his breath. How could he have allowed himself to be so easily defeated… and by a group of teenagers, no less. If he allowed them to escape, then his reputation as a Galbadian Major would surely be tarnished. For that alone he could not—would not—allow them to escape.

With that thought in mind, the major fought back against the overwhelming wooziness and began to crawl across the floor. He crawled, little by little, until he reached his handheld console. The console was lying by the main control panel, where he had dropped it. Fighting against his blurry vision and aching head, he reached out and picked it up.

"Those little twerps are the targets!" he grunted. He began to hit buttons on the console. It beeped, and Major Biggs thrust his arm into the air. "Now GO!" he roared. "Go and DESTROY them!"

Another wave of dizziness overcame him. His vision went black. The panel slipped from his hands, which fell limp at his side. Major Biggs slumped forward onto the ground and moved no more.

Somewhere, on the other side of the Tower, there was a loud, mechanical thud.

* * *

_**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS**_

Phew, that battle took a lot longer than I expected. I wasn't too happy with it. I also hope I made the drawing of a GF interesting and plausible. I felt it was a bit longwinded considering they are in the middle of a battle. I think it's best described as one of those instances that seem longer than they actually are. The whole process probably takes a matter of seconds, from initial contact to transference.

Of course, I did toy with the idea of physical contact being required for drawing. I think I'll use that method only for the transferring of GF. Magic won't require physical contact, but for the transference of GF from one creature to another, physical contact will be essential. That creates a physical bond for them to move over.

As for the idea of sharing GF between 'party members' I'm still working on that one. I'm toying with the idea of bonds being shared between people, rather than having, say, only Zell can use Quezacotl and Squall using Ifrit. Instead, if the person has created a bond with that GF, then they can summon that GF at any time. I'll show that more once Rinoa joins the party. Otherwise I'll just fall into the trap of placing GF with my favoured characters, since I usually play with Squall, Rinoa and Selphie and portion out the GF in accordance to abilities and plain favouritism (Rinoa always has Shiva and Squall has Ifrit, for example).

Of course, if anyone has suggestions, I'm open. :3


	10. Part 01: Chapter 09

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Nine**

The lift came to a stop at the bottom of the Tower. Squall, Zell and Selphie stepped off and looked around in search of Seifer. There was no sign of him anywhere, and the Tower's main doors had been left wide open. Seifer had already run on ahead.

They had just stepped outside when a loud noise caused them to stop. It was a grating sound, like something incredibly large and heavy moving across metal. The noise seemed to be coming from above them, so the students turned their gazes to the top of the Communication Tower.

There was something overhead, moving across the top of the Tower. It was very large and almost filled the whole platform. It moved, and the grating noise came again. From a distance it looked like a giant insect, although it was far too large. When it reached the edge it stopped, drew its legs together, and then leaped off.

Squall and the others jumped back, just as the creature slammed into the ground. The dust began to settle and they saw that it was not a creature or an insect at all, but a large robot. Its name was X-ATM092, but its design had earned it the nickname 'Black Widow' amongst the Galbadian Army. It had four large legs supporting an equally large body, and two long mechanical arms that it held in front of it like mandibles. The arms ended in a set of strong pincers. It was its face that earned it its name. It had a box-shaped face with a row of flashing red lights, giving it the appearance of having multiple eyes.

The Black Widow rose up. It shifted its legs, which ended in sharp points, and stood in front of the students. Its mandibles moved and the pincers clashed together. Zell looked at the robot, and then at Squall, and then at the robot again. Finally he looked back to Squall and pointed at the robot.

"Is that thing from Galbadia!" he cried.

In response the Black Widow lunged forward and thrust out its arms. The pincers reached for them and the three students leaped back. The pincers closed with a loud snap. Its eyes flashed and the Black Widow settled back. Squall knew what it was doing. It was analysing them, weighing them up and determining what threat they were to it.

"Um, it's not going to let us leave, is it?" Selphie asked. She reached behind her and drew her nunchaku from her belt.

"What do you think we should do, Squall?" asked Zell.

_Why are you asking me?_ Squall thought. He cast his eyes over the Black Widow. He tried to recall the lessons Quistis had given on Galbadian weaponry. The Galbadian Army relied heavily on its mobile artillery, which were capable of independent mobility. They were outfitted with an advanced scanning system that allowed it to identify its enemies from its allies, and had destructive arsenal at its disposal. They were also relentless, with a reputation for continuing the attack until all enemies had been defeated. It did not come as a surprise that the army had brought one of these along, in case the Dollet military put up more resistance than they expected.

Zell and Selphie were looking at him, waiting for his decision. Finally Squall made up his mind, and he drew his gunblade. "We don't have time for this," he said. "Just beat it and let's get out of here."

Zell grinned and clenched his fist. "Sounds like a plan."

The Black Widow must have finished its deliberations, for it suddenly charged at them. At that moment the three students also charged and ran to meet the robot head on.

Squall signalled to Zell and Selphie. They nodded, and when they neared the Black Widow they split up and charged at the robot on three sides. Selphie ran in from the left, while Zell swapped with Squall and ran straight ahead. Squall swerved to the right, coming at the robot from its left-hand side.

The Black Widow came to a stop and stared about in confusion as its three targets split up. While it hesitated Squall and Selphie ran in from the side and attacked the robot's two front legs. Squall's sword slashed across the lower half of the robot's left front leg, cutting into the metal. Selphie swung her Flail and the chain wrapped around the other leg. Holding both bars the girl tugged them towards her. The Black Widow lost its balance and lurched forward onto its front arms, its two back legs dangling in the air.

With the robot down, Zell ran in. He leaped onto the robot's front arms and from there onto its head. He ran along the robot's back, searching for an access point to the robot's main power systems.

The Black Widow's eyes flashed, as it tried to figure out what had just happened. It tried to get back onto its feet, but another swift tug of the Flail from Selphie brought it crashing down again. The robot lay still, its eyes still flashing.

Zell finally found the access point, located in a recess just behind the robot's 'head'. Digging his fingers into the recess, he tried to pry the hatch loose. It wouldn't budge.

As soon as Zell laid his hands on the access panel, a small alarm began to beep inside the head of the Black Widow. It turned its sensors upwards and saw Zell on its back. Now aware that it was under attack from above, the Black Widow immediately made measures to respond to the threat.

But first it had to deal with Selphie, whose Flail was still wrapped around its foreleg. With the girl's attention focused on its front, the Black Widow raised its back right leg and aimed it at her. Selphie did not notice. The leg's pointed tip began to crackle, and a bolt of electricity fired out. It struck Selphie on the arm. The girl yelped and dropped her Flail.

With its leg free, the Black Widow climbed onto its feet. It charged forward at speed, heading straight for the cliff wall. Zell held on for dear life as the robot ploughed forward. The cliff wall loomed in close, and as they neared the Black Widow raised its legs and drove them into the wall. It climbed up until it was almost vertical, and then suddenly pushed itself away from the wall.

The robot hit the ground hard. It landed with such force that Zell lost his grip on its back and was thrown off, landing by its feet. A shadow fell over him. Zell looked up, and his eyes widened in alarm as he saw one of the Black Widow's large legs coming down rapidly towards him. With haste Zell rolled out of the way. The leg slammed into the ground next to him, sinking almost a foot into the rock. Zell scrabbled back away from the Black Widow, trying to get some distance.

"Zell! Get out of the way!"

Zell obeyed with hesitation and hurried to get out of the way. The Black Widow turned to the Communication Tower. Squall stood in front of the building, his gunblade held out in front of him. The robot's eyes flashed repeatedly and, forgetting Zell, began to make its way towards Squall.

With the robot's attention now on him, Squall raised his gunblade. The metal blade began to glow hotly, and as Squall swung the sword a ball of fire burst from the tip and went soaring through the air. It flew past the Black Widow and swerved up towards the cliff-top. It grew larger and then exploded into a cloud of flames. From the fire emerged Ifrit, the flames licking along his muscular body.

The GF spread his arms and latched onto the cliff wall. He dug his feet in and held on tightly. His head turned this way and that, and then finally turned towards the Black Widow, which had once again stopped in confusion. The GF roared deeply, the sound vibrating from deep inside his throat. Then, slamming his fist into the wall, he pushed himself off and headed for the Black Widow.

The GF clenched his fist and, with all his might, slammed it hard into the robot's back. The impact caused the Black Widow to crumble, overwhelmed by the sheer power the GF had put into his strike. Ifrit dropped down behind the robot and grabbed onto one of its legs. With amazing strength he dragged it back and began to spin it in a large circle. The Black Widow's eyes blinked furiously as it was lifted off the ground and spun in a circle. When he had created enough momentum Ifrit released the Black Widow, and sent it crashing into the cliff wall. The robot slumped onto the ground, and rock from the broken cliff wall came falling down on top of it.

His job complete, Ifrit roared in triumph. He leapt off the ground and into the air. Flames swept rapidly over his body until they covered him completely. The flames then dissipated, and Ifrit was gone.

The Black Widow lay still, partially buried under the rock. Squall half-lowered his sword and walked towards it. Zell and Selphie joined him and they stood before the robot, watching it. It did not move.

Selphie tapped her Flail against her shoulder. "Well, that wasn't so tough," she said.

Just as she spoke, the Black Widow's body twitched. It pushed its body up and from under the rock pile and tottered towards them. More rock fell from its body as it moved. It came to a stop in front of them. Its mandibles clicked together.

"Okay, so maybe it is a bit tough," Selphie corrected.

The students raised their weapons. The Black Widow paused and then charged. It came at them and reached out with its pincers, aiming to snatch them off the ground and crush them in its grip. The students jumped back and then split up once more. They ran around the side of the Black Widow.

This time the Black Widow was ready for them. It stopped and rested its pincers on the ground so that it could lift both of its front legs into the air. The tips crackled and surges of electricity fired out. Squall and Selphie just managed to swerve out of the way, but a surge struck Zell in the legs as he prepared to jump into the air. The fighter cried out and dropped onto his knees, clutching his thighs.

The Black Widow put down its legs. Squall and Selphie ran straight past the robot and came around the other side. Selphie swung her Flail and latched onto its rear leg, and Squall repeated his earlier and slashed at the other one. The Black Widow, caught off-balance, slumped forward.

Squall took his chance. With Selphie keeping a grip on the back legs, he leapt onto the robot's back. He ran over to the access point behind the robot's head. Raising his sword high, he brought it down on the panel with as much force as he could muster.

The sword broke through the metal plate and sank deep into the robot's mechanics. Electricity crackled. The Black Widow, which had been trying to stand, shuddered violently. It broke free of Selphie's Flail and forced itself back onto its feet. Like an animal in pain it staggered forward, its legs churning up the ground with each step. It turned and tried to go forward, but a loud whir rumbled through its engines. The robot collapsed, and the lights on its face went out. It was dead.

Cautiously this time, Zell and Selphie approached the Black Widow. It did not move. Just to be sure that it was actually dead this time, Zell gave the robot's pincers a swift kick. Still it did not move. Zell sighed in relief and looked up at Squall.

"Let's get the hell outta here!" he called.

Squall nodded. That fight had cost them valuable time, and they had to get back to the shore. He sheathed his sword and jumped back down. Zell and Selphie joined him and together they headed back along the path, leaving the robot behind.

As they walked, Selphie glanced longingly over at the cliff. She grinned and tapped Zell on the arm. He turned. Selphie pointed over at the cliff, and her grin grew wider. Guessing her thoughts, Zell flashed her an angry glare before walking firmly up the path. Selphie giggled. Behind them, Squall placed his hand on his hip and sighed. At least this exam would soon be over.

They headed on up the path. They had just made it around the bend leading to the cliff-top when a loud thud sounded behind them. The students stopped. More thuds sounded, followed by a loud grating noise, like something pulling itself to its feet. Then there came more thuds, each one growing louder.

Then, to their horror, the Black Widow emerged from beyond the bend. It stomped along the path and then stopped. Its eyes flashed as it fixed on them.

Zell's eyes widened and he jabbed a finger at the Black Widow. "I thought we already busted that thing up!" he cried.

The Black Widow raised its arms. Its pincers clashed together, and it moved forward a step. Squall frowned. The damage to the robot's body, although minor, should have been enough to put it out of commission. It was likely that the robot had self-repair technology. Squall had heard about it before, but he had never expected it to be so efficient. It was impressive. But impressive or not, it still posed a problem.

"Forget it!" he said, shaking his head. "Let's go!"

Zell and Selphie nodded. The students then turned their backs on the Black Widow and ran with all haste up the path. After a moment's pause the Black Widow gave chase. The mountain path was narrow, a little too narrow for the Black Widow to move about freely. So it stopped and dug its feet into the cliff wall. It hoisted itself up and climbed towards the cliff top. Once there it made its way steadily over the rugged rocks, continuing to give chase.

The students reached the cliff edge overlooking the tower. There they stopped and looked back. The Black Widow was making its way steadily over the rugged cliffs towards them, and it was gaining fast. The students turned and began to run down the slope, heading for the bridge.

As they ran down the slope, Squall looked back over his shoulder. The Black Widow was still running along the cliff top, now rising up above them. Looking ahead again, Squall felt a bit of hope. The cliffs led all the way to the bridge, where they ended in a sharp decline to the river leading to the ocean. If the Black Widow followed them all the way there, it would have nowhere else to go except for over the edge. They could lose it there and head for the shore.

They reached the steps. As they started to head down, Squall noticed that the dead and wounded Dollet soldiers were nowhere to be found. Had someone from the Dollet military found and rescued them? There was no time to ponder these thoughts, and he focused on hurrying down the steps.

He and Zell took the steps two at a time, leaping down as fast as they could. Not wanting to fall for a second time that day, Selphie slowed down and took her time. When she realised she was starting to fall behind she quickened her pace. The heel of her boot caught on a loose piece of rock. She slipped and tumbled forward—

Hands reached out and caught her before she could hit the floor. She was lifted back onto her feet and she looked up to see Squall and Zell holding onto her arms. She smiled gratefully.

"Thanks so much!" she said.

"There's no time for that," Squall replied, his eyes on the cliffs. "Get moving!"

Selphie followed his gaze. She then did as she was told and followed Zell down the steps towards the bridge. Squall, meanwhile, remained behind and turned to look up at the Black Widow. The robot had come to a stop at the edge and was looking down at them. Its mandibles clicked together, as though hungry.

Squall raised his hand. After summoning Ifrit twice today already, he was unsure if he had enough energy left within him to use the para-magic he had stored within him. He took a deep breath to calm himself and then focused on calling up the magic. There was a brief pause and then flames began to encircle his hand. They grew denser and then burst out in a single fireball, flying towards the Black Widow.

The fireball hit the cliffs just below where the Black Widow stood. The flames exploded, sending a cloud of smoke and dirt billowing around the robot and obstructing them from its view. With its vision blocked for the moment Squall hurried after Zell and Selphie, who were waiting for him beside the bridge.

Just as he neared them there was a loud scraping sound from the cliffs. They turned in time to see the Black Widow leap out of the smoke. It landed on the stone steps, and its weight caused them to crack. Squall cursed under his breath. He had forgotten that the robot was capable of jumping. He turned to Zell and Selphie. "Just run!" he shouted. They ran onto the bridge.

The Black Widow came charging after them. Once it reached the bridge it picked up in speed, where it had more room to move. It powered over the bridge, trying to catch its targets before they could reach the other side. They had a good start, however, and would likely get there first. As soon as it processed this it immediately put in countermeasures to intercept them. It came to a stop, drew its legs together and then leaped into the air.

Squall and the others looked up in surprise as the Black Widow sailed overhead and landed on the path in front of them. It looked about for a second and then turned around to face them.

"Again?" complained Zell. He raised his fists. "Doesn't this thing ever give up?"

"Why don't you ask it?" Squall replied and drew his sword. "Just get past it and head for the shore!"

Selphie readied her nunchaku. "Get past it. Got it!"

They advanced on the Black Widow. The robot swung its arms in large, horizontal arcs. On the first swing the arms hit Zell, knocking him clean off his feet. Selphie was hit on the return swing and went flying back.

When the robot finished its second swing Squall moved in to strike. He raised his sword, preparing to attack the legs and bring the robot once more onto its knees. The Black Widow surprised him, however. Just as he was about to strike the robot lifted its leg and sent an electric charge running through it. So when Squall's metal blade came into contact with the leg, the resulting shock sent Squall flying back. He landed on the ground in front of the Black Widow.

"Squall!" called Zell.

Squall struggled to sit up. His whole body felt rigid and he had to force himself to move. The electric shock, minor though it was, had caused the muscles in his body to tense up and become numb. Moving was like straining against a rubber band that had been stretched tight. The effect would wear off quickly, but Squall did not have time to wait. Fighting against the numbness of his body, he moved onto his knees. He tried to reach for his gunblade, which lay a few feet away.

"Squall!"

"Look out behind you!"

Squall turned his head, but he did not need them to tell him what he would see. The Black Widow was right behind him, with its flashing-eyed gaze fixed on him. The robot raised its leg, ready to bring it down on its defenceless target.

With great effort Squall threw himself to one side. The numbing effects of the electric shock still had not worn off, but he managed to move just enough so that when the Black Widow's leg came crashing down it missed him—but only just. As he rolled Squall picked up his gunblade and scrabbled back against the bridge wall.

The Black Widow turned to him. It raised its leg once more. Then there was a bright flash of light and the robot recoiled violently. It staggered back, as though wounded, and Squall saw numerous tiny bolts of lightning flickering over its body. Squall turned and watched as Selphie released another blast of Thunder at the Black Widow. The robot raised its arms in front of its face and stepped back.

Squall watched the Black Widow as it writhed, batting its arms in front of its face as it tried to shake off the bolts that attacked it. Then it hit him. Of course! Anything mechanical should be susceptible to any type of Thunder-based magic. But Selphie's Thunder magic was only startling the Black Widow. It would take a much greater surge of electrical energy to bring the Black Widow down. Squall frowned. A greater surge…

Squall forced himself onto his feet. His muscles were still numb, but it was becoming easier to move. He turned to Zell, standing next to Selphie. The girl released another blast of Thunder and the Black Widow recoiled again. Zell readied himself, preparing to charge after the next blast.

"Zell!" Squall called. Selphie unleashed another blast, drowning out his voice. Zell started to charge. "Zell! Wait!" he called again. This time Zell stopped and looked at him in confusion. "Use Quezacotl!" the swordsman shouted out to him. "The lightning will short circuit it!"

Zell blinked, not sure what he meant. Then realisation dawned on him, and he nodded. He closed his eyes, focusing on the summoning.

Another blast of lightning struck the Black Widow, which emitted a horrible shrieking noise that sounded like painful scream. The robot shook itself free of the bolts and stomped forwards. It ignored Squall and advanced on Zell and Selphie.

The robot stopped near to them. Selphie swung her Flail and released another lightning blast, but the Black Widow raised its arms and blocked the blast. While the lightning flickered over its arms, the robot spread out its legs and braced itself. It brought its flickering arms together in front of its face. Its red eyes blinked in a sequence and then went out. The robot stilled. On its sides vents opened, releasing clouds of billowing, hot steam. Squall had to shield his face as he was blasted by waves of piping hot air.

Then a deep rumble began to sound from deep within the Black Widow. It grew louder, and the robot began to tremble. Its legs twisted and dug into the rock, holding it in place.

Sparks of energy formed between the robot's pincers. They merged together and formed into a ball of energy that grew larger as more power was poured into it. The vents opened again, releasing another hotter blast of air. An extreme heat radiated from the energy ball itself, making the air around it ripple.

Realising that the Black Widow was about to unleash a ferocious assault, Selphie lowered her Flail and turned to Zell. "Hey!" she said loudly, over the whir of the Black Widow. "Get out of the way!"

Unfortunately Zell was heavily focused on his summoning and did not hear her. Selphie looked at him and then at the Black Widow. Then she darted forward and pushed Zell hard, breaking his concentration and throwing him onto the ground. She leaped down next to him and covered her head with her hands.

The Black Widow fired. The ball burst out in a long and powerful beam of energy. It emitted a light so bright that it almost blinded Squall. The beam passed over Zell and Selphie, who stayed pressed onto the floor. The beam hit the cliff on the far end of the bridge, burning a deep fissure in the rock. This continued for a few seconds before the beam dissipated, its energy spent. The Black Widow's eyes reactivated and it scanned the surrounding area for any sign of its targets.

The moment the beam vanished Selphie leapt onto her feet. She raised her nunchaku and held the two wooden bars out in front of her. She crossed them, channelling her energy. Lightning started to flicker around the bars, dancing along the chain that connected them. Selphie then released one bar and flung it up into the air. The lightning energy gathering in the weapon shot up, firing into the sky. It hit the clouds and a shockwave of light burst across the sky. The energy then re-emerged, flung back, and struck the ground between her and the Black Widow.

A second shockwave, as powerful as the first, swept across the ground. The lightning bolt remained stationary in the centre of the bridge. Unlike a normal bolt, which flashed and then disappeared, this one showed no signs of fading. The air around the bolt became charged with energy so thick that they could taste it in their mouths. The bolt expanded, and numerous smaller bolts emerged from it, reaching out like snakes to taste the air.

At the centre of the bolt a creature appeared. Spinning within the bolt, it began to grow larger. The smaller bolts were drawn inward and poured into the creature's body, feeding it. With a flash the creature burst out of the bolt and rose up. The bolt faded and the creature unfurled its body, revealing itself.

The GF Quezacotl was a great winged beast whose body was filled with vast electrical power. His body was smooth like marble and filled with the power of lightning. The energy rippled and flickered throughout the GF's body, from his smooth head to his vast wingtips. As Quezacotl spread his wings lightning flashed across them, lighting up the air.

Quezacotl turned his head and fixed it on the Black Widow. The robot was standing still, trying to process this new information.

Before it could finish its analysis Quezacotl beat his wings and rose up into the air. The energy within his body was drawn up towards his head and gathered at the spot where his mouth should have been. When all the energy had been gathered the GF reared back his head and then thrust it forward, releasing all of that pent up energy and hurling it at the Black Widow.

The Black Widow could do nothing to block the attack. It was hit in full force, and the robot's body shook as the bolts wracked its body. They spread over the Black Widow, covering it in a thick, impenetrable shell of intense electric energy. Another painful shriek emanated from the Black Widow and it staggered back, trying desperately to fend off the attack.

Raising its arms the Black Widow thrust them forward, trying to break through the electrical barrier surrounding it. As it moved the lightning moved in and attacked the joints that connected the arms to the main body. The circuits overloaded, overwhelmed by the surge of power. The arms did not drop but disconnected from the Black Widow entirely, dropping onto the floor.

The eyes of the Black Widow flickered and went out. The rest of the lightning faded, save for a few small bolts crackling here and there. Its power gone, the robot's legs crumpled. It slid sideways and crunched into the ground.

Beating his wings, Quezacotl rose higher into the sky. The energy that filled his body was spent, leaving his luminous green flesh dark. He flew up into the clouds and vanished, leaving nothing but a trace of flashing light behind him.

The students did not wait about to see if the Black Widow would get up again. They hurried past it and ran on into the town. The numbing effect on Squall's muscles had begun to ease and he was able to run almost normally, at least managing to keep pace with Zell and Selphie as they hurried on towards the Central Square.

Just as they neared the Square a loud noise came from the bridge. They did not need to look back to see what it was. The Black Widow had risen again and was charging after them. Its broken arms, snapped off during Quezacotl's attack, were left behind. The students quickened their pace, trying to keep ahead of the robot. They could not afford a fight inside the town.

The Central Square was just as they had left it. The dog that had followed them before had returned and was sitting forlornly by the fountain. When they entered the dog looked up and its tail wagged eagerly.

The students paused briefly and looked back. The Black Widow was making its way down the path towards the Square. The path was too narrow for its wide body to fit, and so the robot had placed its left legs up against the walls of the buildings to enable it to move along the path. Each step it made took great chunks out of the walls. Clearly its program said nothing about keeping buildings intact.

They turned and hurried through the Square. When they passed the dog Zell reached out and swiped his foot near to it. The dog, in fright, turned and fled. The fighter felt guilty for attacking the dog, but it was better than it being caught in the Black Widow's path.

They left the Square and ran down the eastern path that would lead them to the shore. Their muscles were beginning to burn with the constant running and exhausted by the battles they had fought. They had no idea how much time they had left, so they ignored their burning muscles and pushed themselves onward.

The Black Widow came down the path after them. This path was wider and it no longer needed to place its legs upon the walls. Its mandibles clicked together as it moved, venting steam from its body.

It approached the car that was parked along the roadside. Rather than go around it the Black Widow continued going forward. Its leg came down on the roof and the car was crushed easily beneath its weight. The robot did not even break pace and carried on going after them.

The students ran a few more paces and then came to a stop next to the café to catch their breath. They looked back. The Black Widow had stopped when the path became too narrow for it to come down and was looking about, trying to find a way down.

The door to the café opened and a member of Squad C came out. He saw Squall, Zell and Selphie standing nearby. Curious, he followed their gazes. He saw the Black Widow standing in the middle of the street and his eyes widened. He turned back to the café and shouted out to his comrades inside.

"Squad C, withdraw…!"

He ran. A second later the other members of his squad came out. They also looked back and saw the Black Widow. At the sight of the robot their faces paled and they fled, following their squad leader with all haste down the street.

The Black Widow looked around, taking in its surroundings. After determining that the path was once again becoming too narrow for it to pass, the robot brought its legs together and leapt into the air. It landed on the rooftops, which creaked and bent under its weight. The Black Widow glanced down at Squall and his comrades before turning and stomping off across the rooftops, disappearing from sight.

Squall gazed up at the empty space where the robot had stood, wondering what it was up to. He had no time to think about it, though. He signalled to Zell and Selphie, and with the robot out of sight they made a dash for the shore.

The shore was just ahead. They could see the promenade and the stone steps that led onto the beach. Squad C was already there and vanished down the steps, hurrying towards the SeeD ships. As they approached the shore Squall looked back over his shoulder. There was no sign of the Black Widow. Squall sighed in relief and turned his eyes back to Zell and Selphie, who were pulling ahead of him. If they could just reach the shore before the Black Widow caught up with them.

A loud crash sounded behind him. It caused the ground to shake and he almost fell forward. The three students looked back.

It was the Black Widow. The robot had come crashing through the wall of a shop after breaking its way through the brick walls, leaving the store in ruins. Once out it stormed down the cobbles after them, unhampered by its crash through the wall or the cobblestone floor.

Zell and Selphie reached the steps first and leapt down onto the sand. Squall was a little way behind them, his movements still being hampered by the effects of the electric shock.

The Black Widow reached the promenade moments after them. Its body was far too large to fit through the stone archway bordering the entrance and so it just forced its way through, breaking the stone apart. The collision caused the ground to judder violently. Squall was thrown from the promenade and fell onto the sand below.

Zell and Selphie were still running. They looked back when they heard the crash and saw Squall fall onto the sand, but there was nothing they could do to help him. They carried on running towards the ships.

On the promenade, the Black Widow looked around in search of its targets. Its body was barely damaged from its crash through both the archway and the building. In fact, aside from the loss of its two arms, it was barely damaged at all. It seemed nothing could bring this robot to its knees.

Below it, Squall opened his eyes and looked up. The Black Widow loomed over him, its head turning from left to right. It was trying to find him. Squall knew he had to get away from it before it caught him.

Squall drew himself onto his feet and began to run across the sand. As soon as he moved the Black Widow's head snapped around to look at him, and its eyes flashed bright as it locked onto its target. It took a step forward off the promenade, not realising that there was no ground beneath it to support it. The Black Widow fell forward off the promenade and slammed into the sand.

Zell reached the SeeD vessel. The other ships were already setting off and heading away from Dollet. Only theirs remained on the beach, but at any moment the doors would close and they would be left behind. He looked back. Selphie was still on the beach, looking back at Squall, who was running towards them. The Black Widow was still immersed in the sand and had not yet gotten up.

"Selphie!" he called out to the girl. "We've no time! Get on the ship!"

Selphie hesitated, unsure. Then she turned and ran onto the ship. Zell entered after her. He stopped in the doorway and turned back, waiting for Squall.

The Black Widow groaned and heaved itself back onto its feet. Sand poured out of its joints as it hoisted itself up. Shaking itself free, the Black Widow began to charge down the beach after Squall. The fall had given the swordsman a head start, but the robot had him in its sights and was gaining fast. It would catch him before he could reach the ship.

In the doorway, Zell clenched his fist tight. The ship's engines whirred, and the ship started to slowly pull away from the shore. Zell looked up in alarm and cursed as the doors began to close. The captain must have given orders for the ship to pull out, whether everybody was aboard or not. Zell turned back to Squall and signalled for him to jump aboard.

Squall reached the water's edge and leaped toward the vessel. Those moments when he was in the air with the Black Widow close behind him and the ship doors closing in front of him seemed to go in slow motion to his mind. Whenever he thought back to that moment that was all he could remember: the doors closing in front of him, the stench of machinery behind him, and Zell reaching out to him.

There was a loud _click_ from overhead, like the cocking of a barrel. Then the sound of machine-gunfire filled the air, loud and continuous. The Black Widow stopped and drew back, shrieking almost in agony, as dozens of bullets tore through its seemingly impenetrable metal body.

Squall landed with a splash in the water next to the ship and grasped onto the edge of the deck. The ship started to pull away from the shore, dragging Squall along with it.

Despite the unremitting gunfire that was ripping through its metal body, the Black Widow continued to come after them. Its programming was such that it would let _nothing_ stop it from attacking. The robot forced its way forward into the water and caught up with the SeeD vessel. It rose up and tried to climb onto the ship.

Quistis stood on the upper deck, positioned behind the sights of a heavy-duty machinegun. It was she who fired volley after volley of bullets at the Black Widow, stalling it enough to give her student time to get onboard the ship. The instructor stood without fear as she continued to open fire. Even when the Black Widow rose up in front of her and tried to place its legs onto the deck she held firm, refusing to back down.

One well-aimed shot hit the robot's fuel tanks, and they burst wide open. The Black Widow drew back away from the ship. Engine fluid poured out of the broken tanks and spilled onto the beach, creating a dark and ugly pool on the edge of the shore.

With its power quickly fading, the Black Widow gave one final groan and then slumped onto the sand. It tried once more to stand, but its power was spreading on the sand beneath it. Its legs fell still. Its eyes flickered and then went out. Quistis stopped firing and peered over the deck.

Squall just made it into the ship. He pulled his legs over the side just as the doors finally slid shut. Quistis pushed her glasses up and turned her back on the Black Widow. She walked calmly from the deck.

Once the doors were closed the engines revved up once more, and the SeeD vessel finally pulled away from the shore. The Black Widow remained slumped on the sand. It would move no more. Sparks began to flicker over the robot's body. The sparks hit the engine fluid and ignited, and the Black Widow was engulfed in an almighty explosion that rocked the shores of Dollet. A pillar of fire and black smoke rose up into the air.

The SeeD vessel turned its back on Dollet and headed out into the ocean once again, heading for home.

* * *

_**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS**_

Wow, that was certainly a long chapter. XD I really hadn't intended on those battles being as long as they turned out to be.

We're almost at the end of Part 01. Thanks to everyone who posted reviews or sent me messages. I really like to hear your feedback.


	11. Part 01: Chapter 10

_**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS**_

I have included an original scene in this chapter. In my last novel I was told people enjoyed it when I included original scenes in-between the normal gameplay, and so I will implement this here and there throughout this one. At first they may seem a bit wooden compared to the rest of the story, until I get used to the characters.

* * *

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Ten**

Back in the port of Balamb, Squall, Zell and Selphie stood patiently on the docks, waiting for Instructor Trepe. The rest of the students, including Selphie's own squad, were already on their way back to Balamb Garden. The vessels now stood at the docks, waiting to be taken back to Garden's own hidden dock on the eastern side of the continent.

After a few minutes the ship's hatch opened and Seifer came strolling boldly out. At the sight of him Zell's fists clenched and he started to go forward, but Squall thrust out his hand and blocked him. Zell looked at him, and the swordsman shook his head. Getting into a fight with Seifer was pointless. So, as much as he hated to do so, Zell lowered his fists and stepped back.

"SEIFER!"

Fujin and Raijin ran up and stopped in front of Seifer. Squall raised an eyebrow, but he was not all that surprised to see them here. The two of them must have come to Balamb after Seifer left, waiting for him to return. The disciplinary committee disobeying orders as usual, Squall thought to himself.

"How'd it go?" Raijin asked him.

At first Seifer did not reply. He turned his head and glanced over at Squall. A twisted, mocking smile formed on his lips. Seeing it, Squall folded his arms and looked away. Seifer turned his attention away from Squall and back to his friends. He spoke loudly, making sure that Squall and the others could hear him clearly.

"Man… All they did was get in my way," he said. "Being a leader ain't easy."

Fujin frowned. "SAFE?" she asked, an uncharacteristic look of concern on her face.

Seifer did not reply. He simply shrugged. To him the whole affair had been nothing, like a walk in the park. Fujin's expression relaxed and Raijin nodded in satisfaction.

Zell, on the other hand, was far from satisfied. Thinking of the way Seifer had behaved during the exam made his anger swell up inside of him. His jaw clenched and his fists shook. His face turned red and the veins on his neck pulsed. It took every ounce of his self-control to keep him from going to Seifer and punching him right in the face. Even Selphie scowled and placed her hands on her hips.

Pleased with the reaction he had created, Seifer walked past Raijin and Fujin and headed for the Garden car. Fujin and Raijin glanced at each other, nodded, and then ran on ahead. Raijin climbed into the car, but Fujin waited outside for Seifer.

Squall watched them go. Seifer was like an authority of his own—he followed orders only when it suited him. It was best to leave the matter to the instructors. The only thing Squall was concerned with was whether or not the events of the exam had any impact on their overall performance.

He turned back to the vessel. Instructor Trepe was just emerging from below deck. When she stepped out into the sunlight she paused and looked out at the ocean, shielding her eyes from the warm evening sunlight. When she stepped off the ship the other SeeDs gathered on the dock went up and began to detach the boarding platform so that the ship could be taken away. The instructor looked around. She spotted Squall and his group waiting for her, and she smiled. She headed over.

"Good job!" she said, lightly clapping her hands. The instructor then paused and glanced about the dock. "Where's Seifer?" she asked Squall.

Squall turned and pointed down the dock. Quistis followed his arm to where Seifer and Fujin were stood talking next to the Garden car. As they watched, the two climbed in. Quistis sighed, unsurprised, and wearily shrugged her shoulders. She turned back to the three students before her, waiting for further orders.

"Just be back at Garden by sundown," she told them. "You're free 'til then. Okay, dismissed!"

The three students nodded. One of the SeeD standing by the ship called Quistis's name. The instructor nodded and excused herself from Squall and the others. The students, meanwhile, turned and walked down the dock to the car that was waiting to take them back to Balamb Garden.

Except that it was no longer waiting. As they approached the car doors slammed shut. The engine hummed into life.

"H-HEY!"

Zell ran forward, but he was too late. The car was already moving and was making its way out of the car park. In the windows he could see Raijin, grinning broadly and waving at them. The car then turned and left the car park, leaving them behind. Unable to contain his rage any longer, Zell slammed his fist into the ground.

"Not again, man!" he moaned. He stood up. "There goes Mr. Ego…"

The Garden car turned the corner and disappeared from their sight. It was gone. Squall looked back at Quistis and the other instructors. They were still on the dock, deep in discussion, and had not noticed the car's departure.

He turned his eyes to the sky. The sun had already begun to set when they left Dollet. Here in Balamb the sky was still blue, the air still warm. On the horizon, however, the sky was tinged with orange and red. It would be an hour until sundown, giving them just enough time to make it back to Garden on foot. He turned to Zell and Selphie, who were looking at him expectantly.

"Might as well walk it," Squall said, turning back to them.

Zell and Selphie nodded, though their faces fell just a little. Squall could not blame them. He didn't much relish the idea of walking back to Balamb Garden either. However, with their transport gone they had no other choice, unless they wanted to wait for Quistis and the other instructors. Besides, unexpected changes were common when out in the field. There was no point in complaining about it now.

They headed into the town. At this time of the day the shops were beginning to close and the townspeople were heading for home. Seagulls patrolled the sky, looking to pick up anything that had been left behind. Tourists walked the streets; couples walked hand in hand, enjoying the tranquil scenery. Fisherman who had been out all day in the blue waters surrounding the coast had returned with their day's catch, and the strong smell of fish wafted through the cobbled streets.

Zell took a deep breath and sighed happily. "Ah… Can't beat the smell of Balamb fish at the end of a long day," he said.

Selphie stared up at him, her eyes wide. "You're joking, right? How can you possibly like the smell of fish?"

"Hey, I'll have you know that our fish are famous across the world," Zell retorted. "People come from all over to unwind and relax, take in the sea air, and to try our famous Balamb fish!" He put his arms behind his head, and his eyes glazed over in memory. "Man… I'd give anything to try some of my ma's Balamb fish right now!"

Selphie took a deep sniff. She then wrinkled her nose and held her hand over it. "It just smells 'fishy' to me," she said, her voice muffled. "So, you live in Balamb then?"

"Sure do," replied Zell, his chest puffing up in pride. "For as long as I can remember. My ma and I have always lived here, along with my grandfather, before he died. He was my inspiration for joining SeeD. He used to be a soldier, one of the best. I always promised myself I'd be a great fighter, just like he was, and—"

"WHOA!"

"Hey, I haven't finished! H-Hey! Selphie…? Selphie!"

Selphie ignored him and ran along the path, her boot heels clicking against the stone. She ran around the bend and stopped in front of a tall stone building on the outskirts of the docks. The name 'Balamb Hotel was written on a sign hanging from the balcony of the first floor, swaying gently in the cool breeze blowing in from the sea. A steering wheel, reminiscent of old-fashioned sailing ships, was placed above the main doors.

The hotel's outer walls had been painted a vibrant blue to match the clear blue of the Palmaric Ocean. It looked so different from the other buildings in the town, which were built entirely out of cream-grey stone. Built right along the shore, any picture of the hotel would also capture the brilliant ocean, the docks and the fishing boats.

"Whoa…" Selphie ran around the side of the building and pressed herself up against the window, peering inside. Her eyes widened. "Whoa…" she said again.

Squall and Zell stopped behind her. Zell was beaming with pride. "Yep, that's Balamb Hotel," he said. "Largest building in town, next to the train station, that is. That hotel is an attraction by itself. There isn't a person alive who has stayed at that hotel who has said they would never come again." He grinned.

Selphie turned, her eyes glowing. "Can we go inside?" she asked, eager.

"We don't have the time," Squall said curtly. He turned away. "We have to get back to Garden by sundown." With that he carried on walking, leaving Zell and Selphie behind. Selphie glanced at Zell. The fighter shrugged and then headed after Squall.

Selphie stayed by the hotel a moment longer. She looked longingly through the window, watching as an attendant escorted a couple upstairs to the bedrooms on the first floor. "Lucky…" she said with a sigh, and then turned and ran after Squall and Zell.

The students made their way through the town. They attracted a bit of attention from the locals, as some of them recognised the uniforms identifying them as students of Balamb Garden. A number of them recognised Zell and called out to him in greeting, telling him to be sure to check with his mother. Zell returned all their words with a grin and a wave, assuring them all he would call in on her soon.

Eventually they reached the edge of town and exited via the eastern gate. As they left the grassy fields of the Alcauld Plains stretched out before them and into the distance. The fields surrounding Balamb rose and fell in gentle slopes, and far to the north the snow-capped Alcauld Mountains glistened in the evening sunlight.

There was only one road leading out of Balamb, and that was the road that led straight to Balamb Garden. The Balamb continent was a small one with very few towns, so there was not a high demand for roads. This meant that the plains were almost completely undisturbed and filled with a variety of animals and monsters. Most of these were settling down for the night as sundown fast approached, and so the students walked without interruption back to Balamb Garden.

* * *

It was almost an hour later when Squall, Zell and Selphie finally reached Balamb Garden. The sun had already dipped behind the eastern mountains, and a deep orange glow now covered the sky. The light fell onto Balamb Garden and its reflective surface seemed to glow, its metal-blue colour transformed into a hue of warm orange-red.

Outside the Garden was quiet. The students would all be in the cafeteria by now, enjoying the evening meal. Classes ended at Balamb Garden at 5pm (6pm for the older students), and it was always a rush to get to the cafeteria. The students stopped on the road outside and Zell stretched his weary body, yawning loudly.

"Finally made it back…" he said.

"Seriously…" agreed Selphie. She lifted her feet to check her boots for damage.

Squall said nothing. He had barely said a word during the walk back, leaving all the chatter to Zell and Selphie. His thoughts had been on the field exam. Would the events at the Communication Tower affect their performance? After all, they had left their assigned area. He had given Instructor Trepe a full report of the events during the journey back from Dollet. At first she had been less than pleased, but she had become interested when she learned of the Army's activities at the tower. After that she had gone to speak with Xu, and Squall had heard nothing else on the matter. Squall folded his arms and frowned, thinking.

"Well," said Zell, interrupting Squall's thoughts. "I guess we just wait for the test results. 'Til then." He raised a hand in parting. "See ya, Squall!"

Selphie also waved. "See ya!"

The two turned and headed off into Garden. After passing through the outer gate Selphie started to run and Zell, not wanting to be outdone, ran after her. Squall watched them go and he sighed in relief. At last they had gone.

Before entering the Garden Squall paused and looked up. Overhead, the tall metal spires that marked the Garden's main entrance shone brightly. Its metallic surface reflected the light of the sun, making it seem almost on fire. It was bright and painful to look at, but Squall took a moment to take in the sight of it before he headed into Garden. How long would it take the examiners to reach a decision?

Squall walked on and entered the Garden's main lobby. As soon as he passed through the entrance the calm of the outside was broken by the loud hubbub of students gathered throughout the lobby. The students all talked rapidly with excitement and relief as they shared the details of the field exam with their friends, who looked on in awe and amazement at the things they had done.

Squall weaved his way through the students, all of whom were too busy chattering to pay any attention to him. He fought his way through until he neared the Directory where Instructor Trepe stood, along with Xu and Headmaster Cid. Squall stopped near the Directory, waiting for a chance to speak with Quistis. The three were deep in discussion, and their voices carried over the students around him. Unable to help himself, Squall listened in on what they were saying.

"Mission complete! I think we did a pretty good job," Xu was saying. "The candidates are back safely, right?"

Quistis nodded. Squall sighed, though he couldn't blame the instructors for being concerned. It was not uncommon for students to be injured—sometimes even killed—during the field exam. It was, after all, a real battlefield. That was what SeeD was all about. Squall started to turn away. He would just catch Quistis later.

"Although," Xu added, "we didn't realise the Galbadian Army was after the abandoned communication tower…"

At this Squall stopped, his interest recaptured. He turned back to the trio.

"We've just received word from the Dollet Dukedom," the headmaster reported. "The Galbadian Army has agreed to withdraw as long as the communication tower is repaired and the uplink remains operational."

Squall crossed his arms. That was an unusual move for the Galbadian Army. Not only did they attack without warning, but they also agreed to withdraw their troops if the communication tower was repaired? Squall's brow creased in confusion. Nothing, from the attack to the withdrawal, made any sense.

It also didn't seem to make any sense to his instructors, who looked at the headmaster questioningly. Headmaster Cid, too, did not seem to have a clue, for he shrugged and shook his head.

"Well, in any case," Xu continued, "Galbadia is out of there. We could've made more money if they'd stayed and caused more agro." Headmaster Cid nodded his agreement, but Squall also noted a look of concern cross the headmaster's face. Something about the report from Dollet bothered him, though neither Xu nor Quistis noticed his concern.

After that the talk turned to finances and other Garden matters, and Squall decided that it was a good time to leave. Maybe he would get a chance to speak to Quistis before they announced the exam results… whenever that would be. With nothing else to do, and not feeling particularly hungry, he decided to head back to the dorms to wait for the announcement.

Squall slipped past the headmaster and the two SeeD and headed down the East Block. Away from the lobby the din of the students became quieter and Squall became aware of the sound of running water. A long fountain ran along the centre of the Garden, surrounded by plants and bushes. It was the sound of this fountain that had drawn Squall's attention and he listened to the water as he walked, lost in his thoughts.

"Squall!"

Squall stopped, his thoughts broken. He looked up and saw Seifer leaning against the wall bordering the fountain. One look at Seifer's face told Squall immediately that he was no longer in a good mood. His face was dark, his eyes narrow. He pushed himself away from the wall and stalked towards Squall.

"D'you hear about the communication tower in Dollet?" Seifer asked him. Squall nodded in reply. Seifer's lip curled. "We would've been heroes if it weren't for that withdraw order." His fists clenched tight, barely able to contain his frustration.

"You were only looking for a fight."

Seifer looked up and Squall turned to look behind him. Instructor Trepe and Xu were heading towards them, and they'd overheard what Seifer had said. It was Quistis who had spoken. The instructor's face was dark; her lips pursed together, her temper scarcely held in check. Xu, on the other hand, appeared much calmer.

Seifer was unfazed by the words and the dark looks he was receiving from Quistis. "My dear instructor," he said, speaking as though he was addressing a child. "I'm hurt. Those are rather cruel words for an aspiring student." He sighed in a dramatic manner and shook his head. "A mediocre instructor like you will never understand."

At this Quistis stepped back, stunned by what he said. Even Squall was surprised that Seifer would say something so demeaning so openly, with complete disregard for who might overhear.

Xu stepped forward, rushing to Quistis's defence. "Seifer, don't be so stuck up yourself," she chided him, her tone harsh. "You'll take full responsibility for leaving the designated area."

"Isn't it the captain's decision to take the best possible action?" Seifer argued.

Xu put her hands on her hips and sighed. "Seifer," she said, choosing her words carefully, "you'll never be a SeeD. Calling yourself a captain is a joke."

Those words struck home. The arrogance on Seifer's face vanished. He lowered his head, unable to meet the gazes of his instructors. Xu gazed at him in sympathy before she turned her back on him and waved to a figure waiting nearby for a chance to approach. At her signal the figure came forward and Xu walked off.

Headmaster Cid walked up and stopped next to Quistis. Squall watched as he spoke with her briefly, but he could not make out what they were saying. The instructor then nodded and bowed deeply before she too walked away. Cid turned to Seifer. The swordsman was shaking uncontrollably, his rage visible on his face.

"Seifer," began the headmaster, his face stern. "You will be disciplined for your irresponsible behaviour. You must follow orders exactly during combat." His expression softened. "But I'm not entirely without sympathy for you," he continued, and at this Seifer stopped shaking and looked up. "I don't want you all to become machines. I want you to be able to think and act for yourselves. I am…"

He stopped abruptly, leaving his sentence unfinished. His gaze turned to Squall, or rather behind him, to the South-East corridor leading to the Library. Squall looked back. A member of the Garden Faculty was walking down towards them, and at the sight of him the headmaster frowned.

"Headmaster Cid," the staff member said, "you have some business in your office…"

Cid sighed and scratched the back of his neck again. "There are so many issues at hand here," he muttered. He looked once more at Seifer, who had gone back to looking at the floor. The headmaster's face softened and gave him a warm smile, and then he left to head up to his office.

Squall watched him go, and once he was gone he looked back at Seifer. Seifer's fists were still clenched tight, and his face was burning with rage. For a brief moment he wondered if he should say something, but he dismissed it just as quickly. The Garden staff would deal with the situation. He had other things to do.

At that moment the Garden bell rang. A voice spoke from the overhead speakers, addressing the Garden: "All students who participated in today's field exam, report to the 2nd floor hallway. I repeat. All students who took the field exam, report to the 2nd floor hallway."

After hearing the announcement Squall walked back along the corridor to the central lift. He stopped and looked back at Seifer. The swordsman had not moved. He seemed not to have heard the announcement, or was ignoring it. Feeling the eyes of the Garden Faculty boring into him boring into him, Squall quickly left and hurried on up to the 2nd floor hallway.

The hallway was filled with students when he arrived. All of the students who took the exam were there, along with a few who weren't. Zell was in the middle of the hall, his hands thrust deep into his pockets, pacing back and forth.

Fujin and Raijin were also there. When she saw Squall, Fujin flashed him a chilling glance, her lips twisted into a scowl. Raijin, too, did not look pleased. The larger man's arms were folded firmly over his broad chest and he was giving his darkest glare to any who dared look his way. The other students kept a wide berth from them, no one daring to get too close. The two kept their eyes firmly on Squall as he entered the corridor, watching his every move.

Zell finished pacing one length of the corridor and turned around to head the other way. When he saw Squall standing in the corridor he looked relieved and headed over to him.

"S'up," he greeted in a low voice. Squall said nothing in reply. Zell inclined his head, gesturing the corridor where Squall had come. "Said they're gonna call out names, one at a time…"

Squall looked back down the corridor. The lift was just going up towards the 3F. The students whose names were called out were required to go up to the headmaster's office for their official inauguration. As the lift went up Zell sighed and shook his head. He resumed his pacing. Squall went over to the nearby wall and leaned against it, his head lowered in thought.

The seconds ticked by. The only sound was the tap-tap of Zell's boots as he walked rhythmically back and forth along the corridor. No one students dared break the silence. They waited, completely still, awaiting the decision that could change their futures forever.

All the time he was waiting, Squall felt the gazes of Raijin and Fujin burning into him. He dared a quick glance. He met their gazes and held them, his face impassive. Fujin's eyes narrowed, and her lip twisted into a scowl.

"RAGE," she said in a low voice that only he could hear.

Squall said nothing and turned his head away from them. Let them scowl and stare if they wanted. He glanced back at the corridor. There was still no sign of Seifer. Squall folded his arms and looked down. Would Seifer come to hear the outcome?

Fujin gave Raijin a shove in the back. The big man did as she bade and went over to Squall. He stopped in front of Squall and coughed loudly. Squall looked up. Raijin folded his arms across his broad chest and leered down at him.

"Fujin was sayin' that it'd be all your fault if Seifer doesn't become a SeeD," he said. He grinned, flashing his white teeth. "She can be pretty scary, ya know!"

Squall gazed back at him, his expression unchanging. Raijin was taller than he was and much broader, but Squall did not let that intimidate him. Raijin was the weakest member of the Seifer-Fujin-Raijin trio, using his strong muscles as his weapons. Fujin was the brains of the two, and Raijin would not do anything without the go-ahead from either her or Seifer.

Raijin continued to leer down at him. Finally he turned and went back over to Fujin, who had a small smile on her face. The two shared a glance and nodded at one another, before resuming their cold inspection of the corridor.

The seconds continued to tick by, turning into minutes. Zell's pacing became quicker as he became more and more agitated. What could be taking them so long?

Eventually the lift descended and a member of the Garden Faculty stepped out. Calmly and without breaking face, he made his way to the hallway. As he entered the hallway the students froze and Zell ceased his pacing. All eyes were on the staff member as he held up a sheet of paper and read out the names printed on it.

"Dincht… Zell Dincht."

At the sound of his name Zell leapt up into the air. He raised his fists high, his elation evident on his face. "OHHHH YEAHHHHHH!" he yelled. He waved a hand to the other students, his face beaming. "See ya!" he said to them, and then he waltzed off down the corridor.

The Garden Faculty member shook his head and returned to his list. There was just one more name. "Squall… Squall from Squad B. Please step forward."

Squall did as he was told and stepped forward. Unlike Zell his face betrayed no signs of joy or out-of-control emotion. For Squall, it was simply a matter of pass or fail. If you failed, you honed your skills and tried again. All this meant that his skills had been judged to be adequate enough to pass first time. He walked calmly down the corridor after Zell, who was waiting impatiently for him next to the lift.

With his job complete, the Garden Faculty folded the sheet of paper and placed it into his pocket. He looked around at the remaining students, who still looked at him with expectant and eager eyes. "That is all," the faculty said. "Dismissed."

The students groaned, unable to believe that they had failed. Fujin and Raijin shared glances with one another, the same thought running through their minds.

Seifer had failed.

* * *

In Cid's office on the 3F, Squall and the other exam graduates assembled before the headmaster. Headmaster Cid sat in his chair at the head of the room. A member of the Garden Faculty stood at his side, watching them closely. At his signal the students came to attention, their heads high and their arms fixed to their sides, presenting themselves with pride at their inaugural ceremony.

Out of the twelve students who had taken today's field exam, only four had been deemed good enough to pass. Squall and Zell were among them. The others were a young man that Squall had never seen before, and Selphie. Her skill in battle and her determination to complete her assignment no matter what the circumstances had gone down well with her examiners. Now they all stood before the headmaster, their goal to become members of SeeD finally achieved.

The Garden Faculty stepped forward and waved his hand, presenting the students to the headmaster. "These are the four students that passed today's exam…" he informed the headmaster.

Headmaster Cid rose out of his chair. His face was all but glowing with pride as he looked around at the students standing at attention before him. It was as though he had known all along that the day would come when these students would stand before him as proud members of SeeD. He looked around at each one in turn, and his gaze settled on Squall. The headmaster's eyes glistened in memory, though Squall did not notice. Finally Cid turned his attention back to the others, addressing them all.

"First of all, congratulations," the headmaster began. "However… From now on, as a member of SeeD, you will be dispatched all over the world." The headmaster raised his hands into the air, his eyes shining, gripped by the passion of his words. "We are proud to introduce SeeD, Balamb Garden's mercenary soldiers. SeeD are combat specialists. BUT…" He paused for dramatic effect. "That is only one aspect of SeeD. When the time comes…"

"Headmaster…" the Garden Faculty cut in. "It's almost time for the meeting. Please make this short." He stepped forward. "SeeD is a valuable asset to Garden," he told the students. "Its reputation is solely dependant on each one of you. Handle your mission with care." He turned back to Cid. "Is that what you wanted to say, sir?"

Headmaster Cid looked at him but said nothing. However, his annoyance at being interrupted in the middle of his inauguration speech was plain on his face. Squall wondered why he allowed the Garden Faculty to interrupt him in such a fashion. More than that, he wondered what the headmaster had been trying to say. One aspect of SeeD…? What else was there to SeeD besides being specialists in combat?

Taking the headmaster's silence to be a sign to continue, the Garden Faculty turned and picked up four scrolls from a desk. "Here is your SeeD rank report!" he announced, and held out the scrolls to the headmaster.

Headmaster Cid came forward and took the scrolls. He then went to each student in turn and handed them one of the scrolls, which contained a detailed account of their performance and their SeeD rank, along with the salary they would be paid.

In Garden, SeeDs were ranked according to their skills and abilities, whether those skills lay in combat, support or even espionage. SeeDs with high mission success rates could expect their rank to increase, along with their salary. These high-ranked SeeDs were also required to go on more dangerous missions than lower-ranked SeeD. As new SeeD, they would begin on the lower ranks, and they would have to prove themselves in their missions in order to advance.

First the headmaster went to Selphie. The girl beamed with joy as she shook the headmaster's hand and accepted her scroll. Cid held her hands in his for a moment as he leaned over to whisper: "I'm looking forward to the Garden Festival." At this Selphie flushed. Cid then went to the young man beside her. "Do your best, even if you don't stand out," he whispered, giving the young man his scroll.

The headmaster then moved on to Zell, who had been fidgeting the whole time the headmaster had been with Selphie and the other unknown student. Now that it was finally his turn Zell straightened up and became perfectly still. Cid handed Zell his scroll. "Try to control your emotions a little," he said softly.

He left Zell and at last came to Squall. The swordsman's body was rigid and unmoving, and his eyes were fixed straight ahead. Headmaster Cid smiled at him as he handed over the scroll. "Finally…" he said, his voice bursting with pride, "a gunblade specialist."

Squall bowed his head slightly, acknowledging the headmaster's praise. Cid gave him a pat on the arm and then went back to stand in front of his chair. He looked around at the newly inaugurated SeeD, his smile wide with pleasure.

"This ends the SeeD inauguration," he said. "Dismissed!"

The students fell out. Zell and Selphie both pulled ahead as they hurried out, eager to rip open their scrolls and find out just how well they had done. Squall followed them out more slowly, without rushing.

He caught up to them at the lift. They took it back down to the 2F corridor. The doors opened and Selphie skipped out, her arms swinging back and forth and her face glowing in delight. Zell stepped out after her. He looked back at Squall, who was about reactivate the lift and take it down to the 1F.

"Yo! Squall!" Zell called out to him. "Let's get back to class!"

Squall paused, his hand hovering over the button. "Why?" he asked.

Selphie skipped past Zell. "SeeD!" she cried. "SeeeeD! SeeeeeeeD!"

Zell ignored her. "What do you mean 'why'?" he said He shook his head. "Don't you remember what new SeeD members do? They give a speech in front of the entire class! And after that, the inauguration party!"

A speech… the inauguration party… Both of these things Squall wished to avoid if possible. He had no desire to give any kind of speech, much less one in front of the whole class. Zell, on the other hand, looked more than enthusiastic. He also did not look like he was willing to let Squall slip away quietly, so Squall reluctantly stepped out of the lift and followed him and Selphie towards the hallway.

Seifer was there. Fujin and Raijin stood behind him, their expressions fierce. Raijin's arms were still folded across his chest, and his lip curled in distaste as Squall and the others entered the hallway. Seifer's face was also dark, and his eyes narrowed as they rested on Squall.

When Squall saw Seifer he stopped. Zell and Selphie stopped behind. Zell clenched his fists. All around the rest of the students stood silent, watching nervously.

Seifer stepped forward. An even deeper hush fell upon the hallway. Behind Squall, Zell tensed up and Selphie looked around warily. Only Squall remained still and unconcerned, his eyes fixed on Seifer.

Seifer raised his hands… …and then started to clap. His applause echoed throughout the hallway. Squall raised an eyebrow, surprised. Behind Seifer, Fujin and Raijin glanced at him and then at each other. Then, reluctantly, they raised their hands and started to clap, following Seifer's lead.

With the tension broken, the other students started to clap. Soon the hallway was filled with the sound of applause. Selphie flushed, hiding her face with her hands. Zell scratched his head, now awkwardly embarrassed. Even Squall could not help but flush a little, and bowed his head in awkward thanks. The applause continued for what felt like forever, and Squall could only wish that this would all be over soon.


	12. Part 01: Chapter 11

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Eleven**

"Hah! Found you!"

Squall sighed inwardly. He had barely opened the door to his dorm room when Selphie jumped up from the table where she had been sitting and ran over to him. The girl was dressed in her brand new SeeD uniform, with its black fabric and golden trim. Selphie pulled a quick pose, showing off her new uniform. It looked strangely good on her.

"Well, well!" the girl asked eagerly. She did a little turn. "What do you think! My SeeD uniform!"

She looked at Squall expectantly. He looked back but said nothing. Selphie placed her hands on her hips and shook her head. "You should get changed, too," she told him. "We have that party to go to."

The inauguration party… Squall sighed again. It was more of a ball than a party. There would be food and drink (for those who were old enough), and another speech from the headmaster, reminding everyone of the standards they were expected to uphold as members of SeeD. After that there would be a formal dance. It was a much looked forward to event by all of Garden.

Squall, however, was not interested in parties or speeches. He had hoped to slip away following the class speech and return to his dorm unnoticed, but it seemed that Selphie had somehow guessed his plan and had beaten him here. One look at her face told him she was not prepared to let him get away. Squall sighed and made a point to find out just who had told her where his room was.

Squall walked past Selphie and entered his room. The student dormitories were shared accommodation, with two students paired into a single dorm room. Currently the other bedroom in the dorm was unoccupied, which was how Squall preferred it. Other students meant more distractions, and Squall did not like to have his privacy invaded. He shut the door behind him, sealing himself off inside his room.

His SeeD uniform had been laid out neatly on his bed. Squall undid his belt and laid his gunblade down next to its case. Another image of the lion, same as the keychain on the gunblade, was embedded onto the front of the case. Squall took a moment to look at the lion's image. He laid his hand upon it, as though he could draw all the traits the lion possessed through touch alone. It was a foolish thought, he knew, but he couldn't help but wonder if it was possible.

Putting those thoughts aside, Squall turned his attention to changing uniforms. The SeeD uniform was stiff and uncomfortable, but it would wear in after a few uses. Most SeeD only wore their uniforms while they were in Garden. Missions often required subterfuge and secrecy, particularly those of a delicate or political nature, so it was essential that none but the client knew that Garden had ever been involved. In fact it was part of their Garden Code that SeeD never reveal who they really were, in order to protect both themselves and their clients.

Once he was changed, Squall stepped back outside. Selphie, as expected, was still waiting for him. When he came out of the room the girl turned and looked him over, nodding her head in approval.

"Heeey! Lookin' good!" she said. "Alright! Let's hit that PAAH-TAY!"

* * *

About two hours later, in the dance hall off the West Block of Garden, the inauguration party was in full swing. The dance hall was the most prestigious building in the whole of Garden. It was made out of smooth stone and had been inlaid with a marble floor. A large glass roof covered the dance hall, allowing all those inside a full glimpse of the night sky. A stage had been erected at the far end of the hall, where the students from the Garden's music class were playing a variety of popular formal dance pieces. A number of couples had gathered on the dance floor and were dancing to the music.

It was rumoured that it was Headmaster Cid who had designed the dance hall, although Squall could not picture it himself. The dance hall was elegant and refined and had a romantic feel to it. It would be the perfect place to try to court a young lady, for example. It just did not fit in with the image of the headmaster.

For most of the party Squall had remained at the sidelines, leaning against one of the tall marble pillars. Selphie had abandoned him the second they had arrived, awed by the sheer size and majesty of the dance hall. Squall could have used that chance to escape, but since he was already there and had nothing else to do anyway, he chose to stay for a while.

A waitress walked by. She stopped by Squall and curtseyed before handing him a glass of freshly opened champagne. Although he was not legally old enough to drink yet, the headmaster made allowances on special occasions such as these. In Cid's mind, by becoming members of SeeD they had proven themselves to be responsible adults and he made sure that they were treated as such. In Garden, becoming a member of SeeD was like coming of age, although it was a crude comparison.

The waitress bowed and left. Squall raised his glass to his lips. The drink was cool, and he could feel the bubbles bursting inside his mouth. He held the liquid there for a moment, taking in its taste and texture, before swallowing it in a single gulp.

Squall leaned back against the pillar and sighed. Now that he was a member of SeeD, he would be sent out on missions all across the world. It was his duty to fulfil those missions, even at the cost of his own life. That was what SeeD was all about.

Or was it? Squall frowned, recalling what the headmaster had said earlier before he had been interrupted. That there was another aspect of SeeD besides being hired combat specialists. If that was true, then what was it? And did it really matter all that much? Squall swirled his glass, watching as the liquid sloshed about inside of it.

"Yo!"

The annoyingly familiar voice cut through his thoughts and brought Squall back to reality. He looked up and spotted Zell running towards him from across the dance hall. The fighter weaved his way through the throng of dancing couples and stopped in front of Squall. Like Selphie, his face was still glowing with pride.

"S'up, Squall?" he asked. He grinned and placed a hand on his hip. "Heh-heh, I guess we're both SeeDs now, huh?" Zell then rubbed his hand against his trousers, checked it, and then held it out to Squall. "Put it there, man."

Squall gave Zell's outstretched hand a long, blank stare. The swordsman then took a sip of his drink and looked away, silent.

Zell lowered his hand. "Huh, even as a SeeD, you're still the same," he said, shaking his head. He then looked up and grinned at Squall broadly, brushing it off. "Well, that's typical of you." The fighter raised a hand. "See ya!"

Zell turned and ran off towards the food tables, hoping that there were some hotdogs left. Squall looked away and raised his glass. He had just taken a sip of his drink when another familiar voice called out from the dance floor.

"Oh… Hey, Zell. Wanna join the Garden Festival committee and…"

"Sorry, I… ah… Just remembered something! Gotta go! See ya!"

"Hmmmm… Squall! Hi!"

Squall looked up again. Selphie was jogging towards him. For the past half hour she had been making her way around the hall, speaking to all the SeeD members she could find, attempting to persuade them to join the Garden Festival committee. The headmaster's whispered words to her earlier had inspired her, and she wanted to do her best to ensure the Garden Festival was a success. So far she had not had much luck, but Squall could not fault her determination.

"Wanna join the Garden Festival committee?" the girl asked as she walked up. "You can help out whenever you have the time." She pulled her sweetest face. "Please?"

Squall sighed. Not for the first time, he wondered how a girl such as her had ever made it into a military academy, much less become a member of SeeD. He sipped his drink and turned his head from her. Determined or not, he had no interest in the Garden Festival, or being on the committee.

The silence stretched out between them. Then Selphie turned and pointed at a young SeeD who was trying to attract the attention of the waitress. "S'cuse me!" she called. "You, right there!" With that she ran off and Squall was alone once again.

Squall took a deep breath and sighed. A clock on the nearby wall told him it was almost 11pm. The inauguration party was due to come to a close at midnight, after a final good luck speech from the headmaster. Tomorrow Squall would begin his duties as a member of SeeD. If he was lucky, he could even be assigned his first mission.

He turned his eyes away from the dance hall and looked up at the night sky. The stars were barely visible, their twinkling light obscured by the manufactured light of the Garden. There would be no moon tonight, which meant that the stars had free reign over the sky.

As though responding to his thoughts, a shooting star passed across the sky. It was there for only a fraction of a second, before it was gone from view. If his eyes had been anywhere else at that moment, he would have missed it.

Squall was not the only one who had seen the shooting star. In the middle of the dance floor, a young woman with long black hair also stood gazing up at the sky. She was young, no old than Squall, and wore a creamy-white silk dress. Unlike the other people on the dance floor she was alone, which was probably what had drawn Squall's attention to her. The woman continued to watch the sky even after the star had gone, as though she was waiting for it to return.

As though sensing his eyes on her, the woman turned her head and looked at him. Her eyes, large and dark, caught his gaze. She looked right back at him, holding his gaze in hers. She smiled and raised her index finger.

Confused, Squall tilted his head. Seeing that she had not been understood, the woman walked over to him. She curtseyed.

"You're the best looking guy here," she said. Smiling, she placed her hands on her hips. "Dance with me?"

Squall looked at her but said nothing. As he did with Zell and Selphie, he took a sip of his drink and turned his head away from her. The woman, however, did not leave. She seemed oblivious to the fact she was being ignored, or rather she chose not to acknowledge it. The music piece that had been playing for the past five minutes came to a close, and the music students paused to prepare the next piece.

"Let me guess…" said the young woman suddenly, recapturing Squall's attention. "You'll only dance with someone you like. Okay, then…"

Squall looked up, expecting the woman to walk away. Instead she came closer. She leaned over, her dark hair falling around her face, and gazed up at him. She looked right into his eyes as she began to twirl her finger round and round, and spoke in a soothing, melodic tone.

"You're-going-to-like-me…" she chanted. "You're-going-to-like-me…" She then paused. "Did it work?" she asked, looking at him expectantly.

Squall stared back at her, his face blank. Forget Selphie… this woman was even more bizarre. Did she think she was some kind of sorceress, waving her finger about like that? Magic took a lot more effort than that… effort and training. This woman probably had neither. Was she even a member of Garden?

The woman continued to gaze at him, her eyes hopeful. She clearly was not going to leave without a direct answer. Squall broke her gaze and shook his head. "…I can't dance," he replied, hoping she would take the hint and leave.

"You'll be fine. Come on."

Before he could stop her, the woman reached out and took his hand. She held it in a firm grip as she tugged him towards her.

"I'm looking for someone," she explained, giving him another tug. "I can't be on the dance floor alone."

Squall barely had time to set down his glass before the woman dragged him away from the pillar and onto the dance floor. As if on cue the music started up again, playing a cheerful, classical rhythm.

As the music restarted the dancing couples also began to move. The dark-haired girl weaved her way past them, heading for an open space near the middle of the dance floor. She moved with confidence, dragging the hapless Squall behind her.

When she reached the open spot she suddenly stopped, causing Squall to almost walk into her. She turned around and placed him into position, placing one hand on her hip and taking the other in her own hand.

She looked up at her unwilling dance partner. Squall was staring at his hands; it really did seem that he had no idea what to do. The young woman smiled and placed her free hand gently upon his shoulder. Squall looked up and met her gaze. She nodded gently and then, moving slowly at first, they began to dance.

She moved right first, and then left… Squall tried to copy her movements, but it was awkward and his feet kept shuffling across the floor. He tore his eyes away from his feet to look at her, but as he did so the woman then moved back and he staggered forward, breaking their contact. The woman took his hands and put them back into place. She began to dance again, as though nothing had happened.

This time Squall kept his eyes on his feet and did his best to mimic her moves. This woman—whoever she was—was a very good dancer. Her movements were fluid and elegant, well trained, and she danced with an air of confidence Squall could have mistaken for nobility. Beside her he must appear awkward and clumsy… which was just how he felt right then. Squall tried to put those thoughts out of his mind and focused solely on his movements, trying not to step on the young woman's feet.

He was so focused on not stepping on her that he missed the next move. The young lady threw herself outward, extending her arm. Caught off guard by the sudden move Squall was thrown out too, and when the lady drew herself back she pulled Squall with her. They collided, none too gracefully. They broke contact and this time there was a flash of annoyance on the young woman's face.

Unable to bear the charade any longer Squall turned to leave, shaking his head. Realising that he was about to leave her, the woman ran after him. She grabbed his hand and pulled him back, her expression apologetic.

Squall did not know, now would he ever know, why he allowed her to pull him back that day. He could have shaken himself free and walked away, yet he chose not to. Maybe it was the woman's face, innocent and pleading, wanting him to stay. Or maybe it was because he was so confused and clueless at that point that he had no alternative but to stay.

Whatever the reason, Squall did remain. He held her hand lightly in his as she turned on the dance floor and then returned to his arms, resuming the side steps they had been doing before.

Squall was just beginning to get the hang of it when another couple came dancing too close. They crashed into each other and both couples stopped. Squall stared at the couple in confusion, unsure of what he should do.

Rather than apologise, the dark-haired woman rudely stuck her tongue out at the couple. Surprised by this sudden action, the man and woman quickly turned away and returned to their dancing. The woman turned back to Squall. His eyes were on the dancing couple, watching their moves.

Realising that she was staring at him, Squall looked back and met her gaze. She smiled, reassuring, her eyes soft.

The music reached its peak and when the chorus started the woman began to dance once more, holding Squall's hand in hers. Squall, to her surprise, danced with her in perfect time. His moves were exact, as perfect as her own. The woman smiled… so he could dance, after all!

Together they danced through the chorus, their moves in perfect time with each other and the rhythm of the music. At the right moment they released each other's hands and stepped around each other. The woman raised her arms and held them over her head as she stepped around Squall, moved behind him, and then moved back to stand alongside him.

When she dropped her arms Squall reached out and took her hand, drawing her close. All of the confusion and clumsiness from before—feigned through his reluctance to dance with her—was all gone now. He held her hand firmly in his and he danced with utmost confidence as they parted and then came back together. They parted once more, the woman smiling with delight.

As they came together for the third time they suddenly stopped, just as the chorus came to a close. While the couples around them continued to dance, Squall and the dark-haired woman did not move. They stood together, in the middle of the dance floor, their hands lightly touching.

Outside, a firework shot up into the sky. It exploded with a loud bang, startling Squall and breaking his eye contact with the young woman. He looked up at the sky just as more fireworks rose and exploded. In a matter of seconds the night sky had changed entirely, the calm black replaced by showers of radiant colour. Squall watched the fireworks as they lit up the night sky, and he smiled a little.

The woman, meanwhile, gazed up at him. Squall's attention was fixed entirely on the fireworks. He seemed to have forgotten that she was there, but she did not mind. She just watched him, silently, wondering what he was thinking.

The woman then looked over Squall's shoulder and she spotted the person she had been waiting for standing in the doorway. Seeing her move, Squall looked down at her. The woman gave him an apologetic look before she pulled away from him. She walked across the dance floor towards the doorway, leaving Squall behind.

All Squall could do was watch as she left and he wondered, for a moment, if maybe he had imagined her all along.

* * *

Not long after, Squall stood on the balcony just outside the dance hall. After the stifling heat and the crowded atmosphere inside, he was glad to finally have some time to himself. The balcony overlooked another pride and joy of Balamb Garden: its outside gardens. Numerous plants and shrubs, trees and manmade brooks wound their way around through the gardens, illuminated by the bright light coming from the dance hall. The only sound was that of the music still playing inside, the din muffled by the closed glass doors.

The fireworks had finished now, and the air was filled with the lingering scent of smoke. The scent drowned out the scent of the gardens, ruining the nature-like atmosphere of the gardens. Squall watched as the smoky clouds headed east towards the forests of Balamb, carried away by the nightly wind.

"You really are an excellent student. Even that dance was perfect."

Squall glanced over his shoulder. Through the corner of his eye he saw Instructor Trepe standing behind him. She was still in her SeeD uniform. Squall had not heard her walk up. He wondered why she was here. The headmaster would be giving his closing speech soon. Come to think of it, he realised, he had not seen the instructor all evening.

Squall turned back to the gardens. "Thank you," he said.

He expected the instructor to leave at that point, but Quistis did not move. She remained standing behind him, her arms folded across her chest, waiting for him to say something more. Squall felt her gaze on his back. Eventually he sighed.

"Yes?"

Quistis looked hurt. "So you'll dance with someone you don't even know, but you can't stand being around me?"

The woman… In all honesty, Squall had almost forgotten about her already. Once she left the dance floor she had disappeared entirely, as though she had never even existed. But Quistis had seen her too, apparently, so she must have been real. Knowing that Quistis was not going to leave without an answer, Squall turned his back on the gardens and faced her.

"…Whatever," he said. "You're an instructor, and I'm your student. It's kind of awkward when you don't say anything."

A smile spread on Quistis's face, and she laughed. "That's true. I was like that myself." She looked up at the sky, where the light of the stars were beginning to pierce through the drifting smoke clouds. "…Oh, I completely forgot. I wonder what's to become of me?" She shook her head and pushed her glasses back up.

"I've come to give you an order," she told him. The laughter was gone now, and her face was serious. "You and I are to go to the 'secret area'. It's where students secretly meet up and talk after curfew. It's inside the training centre."

Squall had heard of it before. "What do you want to do there?" he asked her. "Are we going there to tell everyone they're violating curfew? If that's the case, forget it. Leave that for the disciplinary committee."

Once again Quistis burst into laughter, holding her sides. Squall stared blankly at her. Had he said something funny?

When Quistis finally finished laughing, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and smiled at Squall. "Go get changed and meet me in front of the training centre," she said. "This will be my last order."

Squall sighed and reluctantly nodded. It looked like it would be a while longer before he could get some time to himself.

He walked past Quistis, and he felt her eyes on him as he left the balcony and returned to the dance hall. The final piece was coming to a close, and he could see the headmaster and the other instructors assembling before the stage. The headmaster looked merry, beaming around with unending pride at all the SeeD gathered around him.

Squall weaved his way through the crowds and exited the dance hall. The corridor was empty, with everyone either in bed or in the dance hall. Just as he shut the doors behind him, he heard the headmaster's voice trying to capture everyone's attention. Squall paused for a moment and looked back. Instructor Trepe had re-entered the dance hall and was standing next to the headmaster. He couldn't make out her expression from this distance, but he could tell by her posture that she was on edge.

_Get changed and meet at the training centre? What's this all about…?_

_

* * *

_

_**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS**_

And with this chapter, I wish you all a Happy New Year! The next chapter should conclude Part 01 of the story, so I hope you all have a very good year. I'll see you with the next update!


	13. Part 01: Chapter 12

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twelve**

After changing back into his usual clothes, Squall left the dorms and headed over to the Training Centre. When he arrived he found Quistis was already there waiting for him. Like him, she too had changed out of her SeeD uniform and into the comfort of her own clothing.

Before approaching her, Squall took a moment to assess her posture. Quistis's back was stiff and rigid, her face was tense, her jaw clenched, and her lips were pressed into a firm line. Her arms she held across her chest, her fingers clenching and unclenching, her nails digging into the fabric of her clothing. Yes, there was definitely something that was putting the instructor on edge, though what it was Squall did not know… or care. It was, after all, none of his business.

He approached her. Hearing him, Quistis raised her head. She gazed at him, her expression thoughtful.

"Squall, I was just wondering…" she began. "Have you fought T-Rexaur in the training centre?"

T-Rexaurs… Squall folded his arms. The T-Rexaur was a large, dinosaur-like creature, and immensely deadly. They stood about three or four times the height of the average human and possessed no intelligence, only the instinctive need to hunt and kill. Normally they could only be found in the forests surrounding Balamb Garden. However, there was also a T-Rexaur inside the Garden's training centre, for those students who wanted a greater challenge. Squall had spent much time in the Training Centre, but he could not recall if he had ever gone up against one of them.

"I'm not sure…" he replied.

"You can defeat it quite easily by using status attacks," Quistis continued, as though she hadn't heard. "As well as offensive magic such as _Fire_ and _Blizzard_, you can also use status-changing magic like _Sleep_ or _Bio_ on monsters to hinder them or render them unable to attack. Most of the monsters here are susceptible to _Sleep… _Well? Use a sleep attack against T-Rexaur."

The instructor fell silent. She bit her lip. Squall looked at her but he said nothing. Status magic… offensive magic… healing magic… it was all basic training. Quistis seemed to be rattling off instructions on automatic, without thinking.

Quistis pushed herself away from the wall and began to walk down the corridor. She took only a few steps before she stopped and looked back at him. "Come on, let's go to the 'secret area'," she said. "It's just inside the training centre."

She then turned away and carried on walking. Squall waited a moment before he followed her. The entrance to the training centre lay at the end of the corridor. They passed through the large open doors and entered the Balamb Garden Training Centre.

The Training Centre was one of the key sections of Balamb Garden, and the only facility that was open at night. Balamb Garden had a very strict curfew, and from 10pm all facilities were closed. Students were prohibited from leaving their dorms after that time, unless they were going to the Training Centre to train. It was felt that students should be allowed to train at any time, whether it was day or night.

The Training Centre was split into two halves to provide two different terrains for training. One half was built to look like a rugged, mountainous area. The ground was hard and dry, littered with rocks and large boulders. There were large, rocky cliffs rising up along the inside of the walls, covered in bushes and dried up plants.

The other half resembled a more tropical climate, found only in the southernmost regions of the Galbadia continent. In this section the ground was thick with damp grass and moss, and the air was hot and humid and filled with buzzing insects. A large tarn stood stagnant in the zone's centre, with large shadows swimming through its murky depths. Both sections had been expertly crafted to resemble the real thing, and sometimes students forgot that they were actually walking through a manmade terrain inside of the Garden.

The monsters that inhabited the area had been collected from the plains surrounding the Garden. There were the Grats: large, plant-like monsters with whipping vines and a nasty, poisonous bite. Their bodies were like a large, digestive bag, and they often attacked in groups. Their poison was not lethal but had a draining effect on the victim, depriving them of their strength. Once weakened the Grats used their vines to catch their prey and swallow them whole, leaving them to digest slowly in their bag-like bodies. They were not very strong, however, and easily defeated, making them a perfect challenge for SeeD to practice their skills.

Then there was the T-Rexaur. Due to their immense size and ferocious nature, only one T-Rexaur could be found in the Training Centre at any given time. The T-Rexaur was to be approached with caution, and anyone who went in unprepared could end up getting seriously injured. More than one student, overconfident in their own abilities, had learned this the hard way. These students ended up in the care of Dr Kadowaki.

Luckily for Squall and Quistis, the T-Rexaur was nowhere to be seen, and most of the other monsters were either asleep or in hiding. They made their way quickly but carefully through the rugged terrain, but even without monster interference it still took them at least ten minutes to make it to the 'secret area'.

The entrance to the 'secret area' was located at the far end of the Training Centre. The entrance was a single door located at the end of a bridge that was partially hidden by walls of rock. The door's lock had been broken years ago, and so students would slip out of their doors to come here and avoid the curfew. Squall suspected the headmaster knew of the 'secret area's' existence, but allowed it to continue. Another of his 'leniencies'…

There were a few people already in the 'secret area'—young couples who wanted to spend some time alone away from prying eyes. The area was nothing more than a small balcony overlooking the Alcauld Plains, though it offered a fantastic view of the plains and the night sky.

Quistis looked around the balcony. "I haven't been here for a while," she whispered.

She walked forward. The other students paid her no mind, absorbed in their own secret conversations. The instructor stopped at the edge of the balcony. Turning, she gestured for Squall to join her.

Shutting the door behind him, Squall reluctantly went to stand beside her. Quistis rested her arms against the balcony wall and turned her eyes to the plains, watching the plains.

A long silence stretched between them. Squall laid a hand on his hip, waiting for Quistis to explain why she had brought him here. Surely she did not bring him here just for them to look at the scenery? No, there had to be another reason…

But Quistis did not speak, and the silence between them continued. Her eyes drifted over the plains. The Alcauld Plains were much more peaceful at night. The only monsters in sight were a pair of Bite Bugs flitting through the tall grass. Quistis watched them pass. Her fingers drummed lightly against the wall in a repetitive rhythm. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She glanced at Squall.

"What time is it?" she asked suddenly.

Squall looked up, broken from his own thoughts. He had left his watch in his room, but he guessed the inauguration party was finished by now. "It's after midnight," he surmised, and looked down again.

A troubled look crossed Quistis's face. She took another deep breath and let it out in a heavy sigh. "Oh well…" she whispered, too low for Squall to hear. She raised her head high, her face determined. "I, Quistis Trepe, am no longer an instructor as of now!" She turned from the balcony and faced Squall. "I'm a member of SeeD now," she told him, "just like you. Who knows, maybe we'll end up working together."

At first, Squall said nothing. Quistis kept her eyes on him, waiting for his response. Squall turned his head away.

"…Oh really?"

"Is that all you're going to say?"

Squall shrugged. "If that's how it was decided, you have to abide by it," he said.

Quistis stared at him, and then slowly she nodded her head. She turned back to the wall. She peered down over the side, looking at the ground far below.

"They told me that I failed as an instructor," she explained. "Basically, that I lacked leadership qualities." She closed her eyes. "I was a SeeD by the age of 15, got my instructor license at 17… It's only been a year since I got it…" She shook her head. "I wonder where I went wrong… I did my best… Are you listening?"

At that point Quistis had looked up and realised that while she had been speaking Squall had turned away from her. The swordsman sighed, as though bored.

"Are you done yet…?" he asked. He turned back and leaned against the wall. "I don't want to talk about it. What am I supposed to say about other people's problems?

"I'm not asking you to say anything," protested Quistis. "I just want you to listen."

Squall frowned. He pushed himself away from the balcony. "Then go talk to a wall," he replied.

Quistis also frowned, hurt. Squall spoke so bluntly… it was as though he really did have no interest in anything she had to say. "Aren't there times when you want to share your feelings with someone?" she asked him. She laid her hand on his arm, trying, once again, to reach him.

Her attempt failed. Squall shrugged off her hand and stepped away from her. "Everyone has to take care of themselves," he answered, folding his arms. Behind him Quistis nodded, although she did not really understand.

The instructor then watched as Squall walked away from her. He stopped by the exit, his hand resting on the door handle. Without looking back he said: "I don't want to carry anyone's burden." Then he walked out, leaving Quistis behind. She gazed at the spot where Squall had been just moments before. Her lips pressed together.

"…No leadership qualities… Failed instructor… Perhaps they're right…"

* * *

Upon leaving the 'secret area' Squall made his way towards the exit, following a rocky path. He moved quickly, wanting to bring some distance between himself and Instructor Trepe. He knew she would follow him, of course, and he knew what she would say when she caught up with him.

A dozen thoughts ran through his head as he walked. The one that was foremost on his mind was what Quistis had just revealed to him: that her instructor license was being revoked.

He was not completely surprised by the news. Quistis was a skilled fighter and an excellent SeeD but she did not have, as they had said, the leadership qualities necessary to be an instructor. True, the students respected her and admired her, but it took more than that to be a leader… much more. Unfortunately for Quistis, she did not have what it took.

What he could not figure out, however, was why Quistis felt the need to tell _him_. The news would have gotten around anyway, so why did she have to bring him all the way out here to tell him? Why did she have to try to burden _him_ with her problems? If she had just wanted to ease her worries, there were plenty of people around she could speak to. He did not want the burden of carrying it with her.

"Squall, wait!"

Squall stopped and turned back. It was Quistis. Squall waited for her to catch up. He expected her to say something, to continue their conversation from before. To his surprise she said nothing, and they headed on in silence.

They passed a fallen tree, and Squall noted a suspicious-looking vine poking out of the dried-out trunk. Grats were known for hiding themselves within their surroundings, using the landscape as camouflage. They were also extremely pliant, able to flatten their bodies to squeeze in unusually small spaces. Their prey wouldn't even know it was there until it was too late, and by then it would be all over. They gave the sleeping Grat a wide berth and hurried on.

The exit was just ahead. Squall and Quistis headed towards it. Then they stopped and looked ahead at the doors that sealed off the training area. The doors were wide open. Squall looked back at Quistis, who shook her head. Due to the wild monsters roaming the Training Centre, it was a requirement that all doors should be shut and locked at all times. Squall remembered Quistis locking the doors when they came in, so why were they standing open now?

A loud screech pierced the air. It came from just beyond the open doors, outside of the Training Centre. Another sound, a woman's voice, screamed out in terror.

"Somebody help!"

Hearing the cry, Quistis ran forward. She passed Squall, who had not moved. The instructor stopped and turned back. "Come on, Squall!" she urged him.

Squall nodded, and they hurried towards the exit. As they drew closer Squall heard a strange sound, like a loud buzzing—the buzz of flapping wings. He pulled ahead of Quistis, reaching the doors first, and ran out into the zone where the two sections of the Training Centre merged.

There was a monster in this area, just as he had suspected. The creature had its back to him, but Squall recognised it instantly as a Granaldo. The Granaldo were fierce monsters, descended from a very ancient race of giant insect. They resembled much like some bizarre cross between a wasp and a grasshopper, with elongated blades for hands and a spiked tail that it could swing like a club. The strange sound he had heard came from its wings. They moved so fast they were almost invisible, but they created a painfully high-pitched buzzing sound.

Gathered beneath the Granaldo were three other monsters called Raldos. These were short, bulky monsters whose bodies were protected by a thick layer of rocky armour. They were omnivores by nature and usually attacked in groups, or alongside other, stronger monsters.

The Raldos shuffled forward, advancing on the woman they had cornered by an electric fence. One of the Raldos stepped aside and Squall caught a glimpse of her face. He stopped, surprised. It was the woman he had seen in the Infirmary, the one who had said 'so we meet again'. She must have come to the Training Centre and unlocked the doors, and when she did these monsters came rushing out. But why was she here at all?

At the moment when Squall saw her, the woman too saw him. She also looked surprised, but her eyes also lit up in hope.

"Squall!" she cried. She tried to move towards him, but when she moved the Granaldo screeched, and the Raldos inched forward. "Squall!" Her eyes then moved behind Squall as Quistis caught up and stopped behind him. Her brow furrowed. "Quisty?"

Squall raised an eyebrow. This woman—whoever she was—recognised Quistis as well? There was no time for him to think about that, however. The Granaldo had spotted him and was turning towards him, drawn by the scent of new prey. The Raldos also turned, turning their backs on the woman.

The Granaldo shrieked and then dived towards them. Its bladed hands thrust out in a downward slash in an attempt to cut them down in a single blow. Squall and Quistis leapt apart and the Granaldo zipped past them. It went by so close they could feel the air whooshing past its wings, throwing them off-balance.

Quistis lost her balance and fell onto the floor. She rolled quickly back to her feet, unhooking her whip from her belt as she moved. She cracked it but sadly missed her target. The Granaldo flew up to the ceiling and then turned back. It dived again and headed for Quistis. The instructor cracked her whip but the Granaldo's faster reflexes enabled it to swerve out of the way. Her attack drove it off-course and it flew past her, heading back to the ceiling.

Squall heard a thud behind him and turned. Two of the Raldos had broken their formation and were lumbering towards him at amazing speed. The third stayed close to the woman, who watched helplessly.

The nearest Raldo leapt at Squall. The swordsman jumped back out of its reach. The Raldo stopped and ducked its head down as its companion jumped onto its back and then into the air. As it descended it swung its chunky arm gave Squall a glancing blow on the shoulder. The swordsman staggered back.

A scream made Squall look up. His eyes went beyond the two Raldos to the woman. The third Raldo had grown bored of waiting and was slowly advancing on her. She pressed herself against a pillar, but there was nowhere she could run to. She was trapped and unable to escape.

Squall turned his eyes back to the two monsters in front of him. They stood between him and the woman. If he wanted to get to her, he would have to pass them first. The two monsters stood together, side by side. Clearly they were waiting for some kind of response. Rather than disappoint them, Squall raised his sword and charged.

The Raldos hunched their shoulders, bracing themselves for a blow. Knowing that they would do this, Squall lowered his sword. He jumped into the air, landing on the rocky head of one of the Raldos. Without pausing he jumped again and landed behind them. Squall then ran, leaving the two confused Raldos behind him.

The third Raldo swung its arm. It caught the woman's skirt, leaving a grubby mark. The woman cried out and raised her arm over her face.

Approaching them, Squall raised his sword. He ran in front of the woman and blocked the Raldo, which stepped back in surprise. Squall gave the sword a few hefty wipes, driving the monster back and building some distance between it and the woman. The monster turned and ran to rejoin its companions.

Squall looked over his shoulder at the woman. "Stay back," he said sharply.

The woman looked at him. She nodded. "Okay…" she said. She moved behind Squall and looked ahead. Her fingers clutched at the collar of her shirt. Her face was pale and her lips trembled, but her expression was that of pure calm. She was doing her best not to succumb to her rising panic. Squall nodded and then ran forward to face the Raldos.

Overhead the Granaldo made another swooping dive at Quistis. The instructor cracked her whip. As she did so she released a small charge of _Thunder_ magic into the weapon. It travelled down the tail and was released as the weapon cracked. The jolt fired from the tip and hit the Granaldo's front arm. The Granaldo pulled back, shocked, but then recovered and dived again. The insect swerved and swung its large, spiked tail. Quistis quickly jumped back out of the way just as the tail slammed into the ground in front of her, creating a cloud of dirt that swept across the ground.

Behind her Squall jumped and brought his sword down hard. The blade slammed into the hard shell of one of the Raldos. The rock-like armour cracked and the monster drew back, growling in pain and anger. The other two charged at him, swinging their massive arms in great, powerful arcs. Squall held his sword out in front of him, blocking their attacks with the flat side of his blade. Each powerful blow sent shocks up his arms, almost wrenching them from their sockets. Even with the blows he held his ground, refusing to budge.

The Granaldo screeched as it buzzed around Quistis, trying to get close to her. The instructor kept it at bay with rapid cracks of her whip, keeping it from getting near.

After a few unsuccessful attempts the insect drew back. It shrieked. At its cry one of the Raldos looked up and then headed away from Squall, hurrying to its side. The monster curled over and drew its body close so that only its hard shell was visible. The Granaldo swung its tail and struck the Raldo hard, like a clubbed spike striking a ball.

The Raldo went rolling across the ground, spinning wildly and out of control. Seeing it coming at her, Quistis dived and threw herself onto the ground. The monster kept on rolling and struck the fence close to where the woman was standing. An electric charge was discharged upon contact, but it did not penetrate the Raldo's rock armour. Startled, the woman stepped away from the wall and backed off.

The Granaldo saw her move and quickly dived, zipping past Quistis and heading right for the woman. It shrieked, and the woman clamped her hands over her ears to blot out the horrible sound. With her attention diverted the Granaldo raised one of its bladed arms, preparing to strike her down.

Squall turned his back on the Raldos and dived in front of the woman. He swung his blade and struck the Granaldo's foreleg as it moved in to strike. The sword cut through the exoskeleton and severed the foreleg. The Granaldo screeched in agony and drew back, writhing in the air.

One of the Raldos charged at him. Before it could strike Quistis cracked her whip and the tail wrapped around its leg. The monster tripped over its own feet and fell flat on its face. The other two monsters kept their distance, unsure of what they should do.

Suddenly, a blast of wind ripped through the arena. Quistis dropped to her knees, and the woman clung onto Squall's arm as the wind whipped around them, threatening to blow them off their feet.

The Granaldo, caught up in the surging wind, was thrown back. The insect slammed into a pillar, and there was a sickening crunch as its arm cracked against the metal. Even the Raldos, despite their stocky builds, had to hold onto the floor to keep from being blown back.

There was a flash of light and a lightning bolt fell down from above, striking the Granaldo. It was intense and bright and had more power in it than the slight jolt Quistis had released earlier. The bolt struck the Granaldo and it shrieked in pain, its body being burned from the inside.

When the bolt faded the Granaldo pulled itself away from the wall. It was badly injured. Its forearm was missing, cut off by Squall's gunblade. Its outer body was charred, and smoke and steam rose from its exoskeleton. It tried to shriek, but its voice came out as a pitiful croak. Its wings buzzed jerkily, causing the bug to drop a few inches in the air. Knowing it was outmatched the insect turned and fled, heading through the open doors and back into the Training Centre.

With the Granaldo gone the three Raldos looked about in confusion. Though their brains could not comprehend what had just happened, they understood enough to know that to go any further was a pointless endeavour. They turned away and headed back into the Training Centre. The doors closed silently behind them, sealing them inside the Training Centre once more.

Squall turned his gaze upwards. There was a man standing on top of the opposite doors, gazing down at him with a cold, silent gaze. Squall heard footsteps behind him and looked back over his shoulder. There was another man there, standing at the entrance.

He looked back at the woman, the one they had just saved. Overwhelmed by her ordeal, she fell onto her knees. The man in the doorway hurried to her side, while the man standing on the doors jumped down and joined him.

"It is not safe here," said one of the men. "Please, let's go."

The woman did not raise her head. She took a shaky breath, obviously shaken. She forced herself upright, pushing down her fear. "…Alright," she whispered.

The other man came forward and knelt beside her. He took her hand in his, holding it gently. Her hand was trembling and she clutched it gladly, thankful for the gesture.

As he helped her to stand, Squall cast his eye over the two men's clothing. Both men were dressed in a white uniform he had never seen before, and they had headbands wrapped around their foreheads. As for the magic they had used to drive off the monsters… they were no amateurs. That lightning bolt had been more powerful than first level _Thunder_ magic. As for the wind blast… could that have been _Tornado_? They also looked no older than Squall was… Just who were these men?

The man helped the woman onto her feet. He placed his hand on her back to support her as he led her forward. She moved slowly, each step careful in case she stumbled. When she passed Squall and Quistis she looked at them and bowed her head in thanks, grateful for their aid. The men took her out of the Training Centre, supporting her every step.

Once they were gone, Quistis folded her arms. "Who was that…?" she asked.

Squall shook his head, though Quistis did not see. So Quistis did not know who this strange woman was, either. Yet she clearly knew the two of them, at least by name. Squall also folded his arms and looked at the floor. What did this mean…?

While he was thinking, Quistis went over to the Training Centre doors and made sure they were shut tight. They did not want another incident like that. It was just lucky for that woman that she and Squall had been nearby. If they had not… well, it did not bear thinking about.

When she had finished checking everything, Quistis and Squall headed back along the corridor towards the main exit. Just before they reached the doors, Quistis suddenly stopped. She turned to face Squall, her expression serious.

"Squall," she said. "It's not like everyone can get by on their own, you know." With that said, the instructor turned and walked out, leaving Squall alone.

Squall watched her go. Once she was out of earshot, he folded his arms and looked away. "…Says who?" he said. Unfolding his arms, Squall left the Training Centre.

Outside the Training Centre, the hallways were quiet. The only people around were the Garden Faculty, stationed at the entrance of each of the other blocks to prevent unauthorised entry during the night. There was also Quistis, walking silently back to the dorms. The instructor's footsteps rang out in the darkened corridors, but she did not look back to see if Squall was following her. Squall let her pull ahead of him.

The instructor headed into the dorms, and a few moments later Squall went in after her. After this long day, he was looking forward to the peace and quiet of his room.

He was just walking down the corridor when he spotted Zell leaning against the wall. The fighter, still in his SeeD uniform, was flicking through an old issue of Combat King, a popular magazine among martial artists. As Squall drew near, Zell looked up.

"Finally!" he said, his loud voice shattering the quiet of the hallway. "There you are! Where the hell were you? I was lookin' all over the place." He closed his magazine and hurried over to Squall. "We're both now members of SeeD, right?" he asked. "Well, guess what? We got our own rooms, baby!"

Zell dug about in his pocket and pulled out a key. He threw it to Squall. "Your new room's right across the hall from your old one. That's what I was asked to tell you. Man, it took me forever!"

Squall pocketed the key without saying a word. He then passed Zell and headed up into the dorms. Zell followed and then branched off, heading to his own dorm room.

As Zell had said, Squall found his new dorm just across the hall from his old room. A metal plate bearing his name had already been placed over the door. Squall took out his key, unlocked the door and went inside.

Unlike students who had to share rooms, SeeDs had the privilege of having a room to themselves. For the most part these rooms remained empty, with their occupants being away on missions. Still, it was felt that SeeDs deserved their own space to relax after returning from a particularly difficult mission.

Squall looked around the room. It was quite spacious, with a desk and a single bed, cabinet for clothing, and a large window looking out into the gardens outside. Squall's belongings had already been moved in. His gunblade case, still open, rested against the bedside cabinet. Squall placed his hand on his hip and sighed.

"I'll just go to sleep…"

* * *

_**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS**_

I was going to end Part 01 here, but I totally forgot about the dream world. I figured these segments should have their own special sections, and so I will do one more chapter to bring this part to a close and then enter the dream world.


	14. Part 01: Chapter 13

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Thirteen**

The next morning, Squall was woken up by the sound of somebody knocking on his bedroom door. He opened his eyes and blinked in the morning light. The knocking stopped and Selphie's voice, loud and full of energy, called through the door.

"Squall, it's our first SeeD mission! Looks like we're going to Timber. Meet by the front gate. Hurry!"

Then there was the sound of running footsteps as Selphie ran away from the dorm. Squall sat up. He had been too tired to change out of his clothes from yesterday, so he was already fully dressed. He considered changing clothes, but Selphie had said to hurry, so he dismissed the idea.

The only items he had removed before going to bed were his necklace and his gunblade, along with his two belts that the sword was attached to. He refitted the belts, letting them rest across his hips, and then picked up his gunblade. He cast his eye over the blade as he did every morning, looking for signs of wear. There were a few grubby marks leftover from the exam, but no scratches or cracks. That was good. He could clean the blade on the way to his mission. He hooked the blade onto his belt and then picked up his necklace from the bedside cabinet. Squall then left the dorm and hurried through the Garden.

Squall was just passing by the library when he spotted Xu. The SeeD was sitting on a bench by the bushes and she had a document in her lap, which she was busy reading. When Squall came by she stood up and waved.

"Hey, Squall, heard you got your first SeeD mission already! Looks like they have high hopes for you."

Squall inclined his head to acknowledge that he had heard, but he did not stop to greet her. It did seem a bit quick, but it was not all that unusual. Garden's reputation on the eastern and western continents was growing, and the number of requests coming in for SeeD aid was increasing. Combined with the fact that there were very few SeeDs within Garden right now, it was only natural he would be assigned his first mission already. Garden was making good use of its resources, and the sooner he began his missions the better.

Still, Squall wondered what his first mission would be. Missions came in all shapes and sizes, from the very easy to the immensely difficult. It could be something as simple as clearing out monsters that were drawing too close to a village. It could be something dangerous, such as a political assassination. Balamb Garden did not get many requests of that kind, and when it did they turned it down. Headmaster Cid was no fool. He knew better than to get involved in politics. At least, not openly.

Squall turned the corner and hurried towards the front gate. In the end it did not matter what his mission was. Whatever it turned out to be, it was his duty as part of SeeD to complete it to the best of his ability.

* * *

"…One more minute…" said the Faculty, checking his watch for the fourth time.

A full ten minutes had passed since Squall had arrived at the front gate. Everyone else was here except for Zell, who was unfashionably late. There was Squall and Selphie, two members of the Garden Faculty, and Headmaster Cid.

Selphie, dressed in a simple summer-yellow dress and brown ankle boots, had confirmed that she had caught Zell in the cafeteria and passed on the orders to meet at the front gate. As yet Zell had not arrived. As more time passed the two Garden Faculty staff became more and more irritated, although it was hard to tell with their faces hidden behind their sloping hats.

Squall had let out a sigh when he learned of the line-up for the mission. There was himself, Selphie and Zell. It seemed that they would be working together for a while, yet. There had been no mention of Instructor Trepe, and Squall did not think to bring it up with the headmaster. What went on behind the scenes of staff within Garden was none of his concern.

Up until now the headmaster and the two Garden Faculty members had said nothing about the details of their mission. It was something, Cid said, best explained once everyone was assembled. So they were being forced to wait until Zell arrived.

Before the minute was up a loud hum filled the air, coming from the direction of the Garden. Squall turned to the front gate and Selphie stretched up on her tiptoes, trying to see what was coming.

A figure then leaped over the turnstiles, landing on the other side. It was Zell, at last. The fighter was riding on a Tech-Board, or T-Board as it was commonly known (Tech-Board being deemed too boring a name for something so cool). Squall had never seen one up close before, except in magazines. The T-Board was a battery-powered hover board, able to reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour. It did not surprise Squall to see Zell owning one. Nor was he surprised that Zell would be so brazen as to turn up late riding one.

The T-Board made a loud _whooshing_ sound as it zipped forward. Zell leaned back and the nose lifted up. He swerved towards the group, circling them once, before finally coming to a stop beside him. He jumped off the board and kicked down the back end. He caught it in his hands. His eyes were bright, full of exhilaration.

"Made it!" he said with a cheery grin.

The Garden Faculty, however, did not look so cheery. One of them stepped forward, his disapproval plainly visible on his face. "T-Boards are prohibited within Garden," he said. "Have you forgotten?"

The exhilarated look vanished from Zell's face, telling everyone that he _had_ in fact forgotten. "Oops, sorry!" he replied, scratching his head. "But this is really cool. It may come in handy on a SeeD mission, someday." He patted the board.

"We'll be the judges of that." The Garden Faculty reached out and took the board from Zell's hands. Turning to his companion he said: "Confiscate it."

Zell's face dropped. The other Garden Faculty member took the board from his superior and then headed off with it, planning to lock it up along with all the other confiscated items taken from students. The staff member that remained turned back to Zell and fixed him with a stern glare.

"All of you are members of SeeD, but… Nevertheless, you're still students at this Garden. Furthermore, because you are SeeDs, you must set an example to all others and abide by the Garden's rules. Understood!"

It was not a question. Zell, understanding that, did not answer. The Garden Faculty then turned his back on Zell and walked back to the headmaster, unaware that behind him Zell was shaking his fists.

Squall folded his arms. It was no surprise that the board had been confiscated. T-Boards were fast and very dangerous in small spaces like Garden. They had been banned after a group of students foolishly tried to turn the quad into a skating rink. The resulting incident left two students injured and a permanent ban on T-Boards being used inside Garden. Zell really should have known better than to ride his where people could see. And this man was a part of his team… Squall sighed again.

The headmaster coughed, drawing Squall's attention back to the present. "Well, about your first mission…" the headmaster began. Everyone turned to him, waiting for their orders. "You are to go to Timber. There, you will be supporting a resistance faction. That is your mission." The headmaster paused and folded his arms behind his back. "A member of the faction will contact you at Timber Station."

The Garden Faculty took over. "This person will talk to you and say 'The forests of Timber sure have changed'. At this time, you must reply, 'But the owls are still around'. That is the password."

"Just follow the faction's orders," Cid finished.

Zell looked around. "Uh… Just us three?" he asked, surprised.

"Correct," the Garden Faculty replied. "We have agreed to do this mission for very little money. Normally we would never accept such requests, but…"

"Enough talk about that," Headmaster Cid interrupted, scratching his head once again. Squall gazed at his face. Was the headmaster… blushing?

Recovering himself, Cid lowered his arm and turned to Squall. "Well then, Squall," he said, "you are the squad leader. Use your best judgement based on the situation. Zell and Selphie, you are to support Squall and give your all to carry out the faction's plans. Oh, and Squall," he added suddenly, delving into his trouser pocket, "I forgot to give you this. It's a cursed item, but if one with enough power uses it, it should be of great help."

He held out an item. It looked like one of those old-fashioned lamps from children's stories but in miniature size, about the size of a matchbox. Squall took it from him, holding it gingerly, as though it might break in his hands. It was an old item and a bit battered, but Squall could feel a dark power emanating from it. Squall looked up at the headmaster. Where had he got such a thing? Cid, guessing his thoughts, shrugged and tapped his nose. Squall sighed. A secret…?

Still bearing that secretive smile, Cid turned to Zell and Selphie. "Best of luck on your first mission," he said to them.

Squall placed the lamp in his pocket. The three SeeDs saluted and then walked away, heading out of Garden. The headmaster smiled and raised his hand in farewell. He looked much like a father who was saying goodbye to his children as they left home for the first time, watching as the set out into the big, wide world. Perhaps that was how he thought of the students of Balamb Garden. After all, as far as Squall knew the headmaster was unmarried, and had no children of his own.

Zell glanced over his shoulder, looking longingly in the direction in which the Garden Faculty had left. Turning back, he sagged and sighed.

Selphie gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Zell," she said to him. "You'll get it back… eventually."

* * *

They arrived at Balamb shortly before 9am. Once there Squall instructed that they should head straight for the train station and catch the first train to Timber. He was not in a hurry, but he felt it was best that they met up with the members of the resistance faction as soon as possible. Zell and Selphie were in agreement, and so they hurried towards the station at the far end of town.

On the way they passed a Junk Shop, a weapon store. Balamb was not a military town despite it being so close to Balamb Garden, but it did keep a small store open for SeeD and other travellers. The selection of weapons available was not particularly eye-catching, but it was a handy place for SeeD who needed additional weapons for their missions or to replace ones that had been broken on the trip back.

As they walked past the store, Selphie stopped and peered through the window. A nunchaku was on display, resting on a stand. Its label named it the 'Morning Star'. It had a shorter chain than the Flail and had strong wooden handles painted night-blue. The ends were tipped with spiked metal balls for dealing maximum damage.

Selphie gazed longingly at the weapon. The Flail was a standard-issue weapon from Trabia Garden, perfect for beginners. Selphie longed to have a nunchaku like that. Maybe after the Garden Festival she would save and buy a weapon like the Morning Star. She could already picture herself holding it…

"Hey, Selphie!" Zell's voice called out to her. "Hurry up!"

Squall and Zell were waiting for her outside of the station. The girl tore herself away from the window and ran to catch up with them. Zell gave her a stern look, and the girl blushed furiously. She would get that nunchaku eventually, she promised herself.

The trio approached the station. A station worker was posted outside the doors.

"Yo, sir!" Zell called, running up to him. "When will the train to Timber arrive?"

The station worker looked him up and down, and then jerked his thumb at the doors. "The train to Timber is here," he answered. "Please purchase a train ticket."

_That was what we intended to do,_ thought Squall as he pulled out his card.

The SDICC (SeeD Identity and Cash Card, or 'SeeD Card' for short) was proof of a SeeD's identity and had come as part of their graduation. With this card they could prove their identities as members of SeeD and purchase items or weapons from shops that made regular business deals with Garden. Their salaries would be paid directly into their accounts, and with these cards they could buy anything they needed from almost any part of the world.

A one-way ticket to Timber cost 3,000 gil. The station worker took their cards, looked them over to make sure they were authentic, and then scanned them one by one into a handheld console. The device beeped and flashed green, indicating that the funds had been taken from their accounts. Three tickets popped out. The station worker ripped them off and handed them to Squall.

"Please go inside right away" the worker told him. "The train to Timber will be leaving shortly."

Squall nodded and slipped the tickets into his back pocket. The station worker stepped aside. Zell and Selphie immediately ran past him, eager to get onboard the train. Squall followed more slowly, taking his time.

Balamb Train Station was a small station with only one main train that ran all the way to the western continent of Galbadia, to the forest town of Timber. There were no trains that ran to the eastern continent: all travel was done by ship. The northern half of the continent was covered in vast forests and rugged mountains, making railroads impossible. As for the southern half… …well, nobody went there anymore.

As the man outside had said, the train to Timber was about to leave. The stationmaster paced the platform, making the final calls before closing the doors. Selphie ran up to the foremost compartment and stood in the doorway, shouting for them to hurry. Squall and Zell ran to catch up and hurried on board the train.

Once they were onboard the stationmaster looked around. Satisfied that there was no one left to board he waved his flag and the train doors slid shut. He blew his whistle, and a moment later the train began to make its way out of the station.

The train left Balamb and chugged across the Alcauld Plains. It gained in speed until it sped across the plains, leaving Balamb Garden and the town of Balamb behind. In about five minutes it reached the entrance to the underwater railroad: a long tunnel built in the side of a rising hill. The train disappeared inside the tunnel and became shrouded in shadow, leaving the daylight behind.

The lights blinked on, lighting up the inside of the train. Selphie, pressed against the window, watched in awe as the hollowed-out walls of the tunnel went zipping by.

"This train is awesome!" she said.

Zell beamed with pride. "A transcontinental railroad, baby! It even runs through an underwater tunnel to get to Timber." He turned to Squall. "Pretty cool, huh?"

Squall sighed inwardly. The way Zell spoke, it was as though _he_ had invented the railroad. "Sure is…" he replied, without looking at Zell.

Zell sagged, disappointed. "Guess you're not interested," he muttered. The fighter shook his head and then straightened himself up. "By the way, Squall…" he added, almost as an afterthought. "You have to use the ticket to get inside."

Squall nodded. All train compartments were equipped with special scanners that analysed a person's ticket before allowing them entry into the seating area. It was a security measure developed to prevent people from wandering between cars, or from entering the first-class or luggage areas. As SeeD, they would only have access to the SeeD car at the head of the train.

Squall went to the scanner, which was embedded on the wall. He input the three tickets. The machine beeped as it scanned them, analysing the permissions.

While the machine was busy, Squall turned to Zell and Selphie. "Okay, we can go inside now," he said.

The machine finished its analysis. "ID CHECK—Confirming… Access granted…"

A light above the door turned green. Selphie, now bored of the view from the tiny window, pushed herself away from the window. "I'm gonna go check out the front," she said, running over to the door. She paused next to it and looked back at Squall, a grin on her face. "Tee-hee! Thanks!" She stepped up to the door. It slid open, and the girl ran through. The door then closed behind her.

"Let's go check it out, Squall," said Zell.

Squall waved his hand, gesturing for Zell to go on ahead. The fighter nodded and went over to the door. It opened automatically and he walked on through, with Squall following behind him.

The door opened up into a corridor. Here they found Selphie, once more looking out of the window and singing quietly to herself, her fingers tapping against the ledge. Zell looked back and Squall and rolled his eyes. Squall, meanwhile, said nothing.

In this part of the train there was only one cabin, which was exclusively for SeeD members only. Squall and Zell stood outside the cabin door. "Yo, check it out!" Zell said, pointing. A metal plate was placed over the door, with the word 'SeeD' engraved on it. "So this is SeeD's private cabin…"

The fighter pushed a button and the door slid open. Zell peered inside. His eyes widened and he jumped back in surprise. "WHOA!" He ran inside and the doors closed behind him. "OHHH YEAHHH!" Squall heard him shout. "AWESOME!"

Squall placed a hand on his hip and shook his head. Zell was so loud… He could tell that this was going to be a long trip. Squall pushed the button and entered the cabin.

The SeeD's cabin was one of the most luxurious rooms Squall had ever seen. There was a large, padded sofa and a set of wide bunk beds. Air-conditioning sent welcome cool air blowing throughout the room. The designers had gone all-out to make sure that SeeD, respected by many, were comfortable when travelling. Squall found it almost hard to believe that he was standing inside a train.

Zell was on the sofa. The fighter was bouncing up and down on the soft, cushioned padding, grinning broadly. "Heh-heh," he chuckled. "This is sooo cool."

The doors closed behind Squall. "…I'm glad you're so excited," he said, unimpressed.

Zell stopped bouncing. "They even have magazines here," he said, leaning forward to pick a magazine up off the floor where it had fallen. It was a recent issue of Combat King. Zell placed it next to him, planning to read it later in case there were any new techniques that he could use.

Squall walked over and sat down on the sofa. He leaned over, his arms resting on his knees. He stared at the floor, deep in thought, thinking about the upcoming mission.

"This is pretty damn amazing," Zell said, interrupting his thoughts. "It pays to be a member of SeeD! Squall, y'know anything about Timber?"

Squall couldn't say that he did. "I don't care," he replied, shrugging.

"C'mon, Squall. Don't be like that… I wanna tell you!"

"Nah, it's okay."

"C'MON!" Zell said, insistent. "I wanna tell you what I know!"

Squall sighed inwardly. It seemed clear that the fighter was not going to be brushed off that easily. "Fine…" he said, relenting. "Talk."

"Yep, that's what I wanted to hear," Zell said, grinning. He cleared his throat and then sat back in his chair, draping his arms over the top. "Allow me to explain briefly," he began. "Timber used to be a country surrounded by deep forests. But eighteen years ago, Galbadia invaded.

"Timber fell quite easily to Galbadia. So now Timber is under Galbadia occupation. It's said there's a whole bunch of resistance factions, big and small."

Zell stopped. Squall looked up. "…And?" he asked.

Zell shook his head. "Nope, that's it."

"…" Squall looked back down at the floor. "…Thank you, Mr. Know-It-All-Zell."

"Hey, no prob!"

Squall sighed again. Was sarcasm truly wasted on this guy?

Yet, despite himself, he could not help but think about what Zell had said. Even Squall, who paid little attention to world affairs, knew enough about Timber's current state of affairs. Timber was once quite a vast city-stare, the neighbour of Dollet and Galbadia. Thanks to Galbadia's invasion eighteen years ago the country was reduced to a single city, controlled by the Galbadian government.

As for the resistance factions, Squall did not know very much about them. He knew they existed, but beyond that anything he heard was just a rumour. He recalled reading once about an incident between a particular faction and the Galbadian army shortly after Galbadia's occupation there. Since that time the factions had remained silent. They were more like whispers on the wind. Heard about but never seen.

Their mission, according to the headmaster, was to support one of these factions. Squall's brow creased. Just what sort of things did this faction have in mind that they had to ask for Garden's help?

The cabin door opened. Selphie walked in, a hand on her forehead. "I'm not… feeling well…" she complained.

Squall stood up and looked her over. She _did _look a little pale. The girl swayed as she moved, as though she was unsteady on her feet. Perhaps she was travelsick, Squall thought. Or maybe her carefree, happy-go-lucky attitude was beginning to take its toll on her. Maybe…

"You should get some rest if you're tired," he advised her.

Selphie did not seem to hear him. Her eyes were glazed over. She stepped forward, almost tripping over her boots. "I'm really sleepy…" she said, rubbing her eyes.

"You okay?" Squall asked, suddenly concerned. If Selphie really was going to fall ill, it would cause a few problems during their mission.

"Hey…? What the…!"

It was Zell. The fighter jumped to his feet. He looked about in confusion. Squall turned to him. Zell's legs quivered and he began to sway a little, much like Selphie was doing. "Something's wrong with me, too…" Zell said. His voice slurred, like he was drunk. The fighter put his hands to his head. "I… feel… sleepy…"

His legs buckled. Zell fell backwards and slumped against the sofa. Zell's eyes closed and his head rolled to one side. His whole body fell limp. He did not move at all, except for the slow rise and fall of his chest as he breathed.

Selphie tried to walk towards the bed. She managed about two steps before her legs also buckled and she tumbled forward. She landed on the ground with a thud but did not even groan. She was unconscious before she even hit the floor.

Squall looked at Selphie, and then over at Zell. Both of them were out cold. "What's going on?" Squall asked aloud. Neither of them responded.

Squall folded his arms. What had just happened? One minute they were fine and the next… they were unconscious. It was as though both of them had simply… fallen asleep.

Just as he was thinking this, it happened. A piercing whistle, loud and painful, began to ring inside his head. His head began to throb and Squall felt a great pressure inside his mind, as though something was trying to force its way through. Squall placed his palms over his ears, trying to blot out the awful sound. His efforts did nothing and the whistle grew louder, the pressure more intense.

Suddenly the pressure lessened, easing away to almost nothing. A light-headed sensation swept over him. Squall felt himself growing tired, as though the strength was being rapidly sapped from his body. His vision blurred, becoming shrouded in a dense, impenetrable white fog. Squall's gaze fell on Selphie, unconscious on the floor, before she was swallowed up by the cloud.

"Ugh!" Squall groaned. His voice sounded strange, coming from some place very far away. "…What is this?"

He lost all the feeling in his body. His hands fell limp at his sides. Squall barely felt his knees buckle, did not feel the slam of his kneecaps against the cabin floor. The last thing he saw before his vision faded was the floor rushing up at him.

Then everything went white and he saw nothing at all.

* * *

**[End of Part 01]**

**Coming Next: [Dream World: Laguna Loire]**

**

* * *

**

_A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS_

I know I took a risk with the original dialogue and the invention of the SeeD card (seriously, how do they hold their cash and get upgrades otherwise?), but did they work okay? Also, I know I played with the size of the magical lamp. I figured it was a bit big for Squall to cart around otherwise, especially since they don't have satchels or anything... Besides, why should it be a conventional lamp like ours? Who says a GF has to reside in something horrendously huge? So it's, like, a miniature, a toy even.

As for when I'll add Diablos... well, we'll see.


	15. Dream World: Laguna

_**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS**_

_This section is quite a long one. I decided that I may as well keep the Laguna sections as one chapter. If anyone does feel it would be better split into two easier-to-read sections, let me know and I will do so._

_

* * *

_

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Dream World: Laguna Loire**

Somewhere in the deep reaches of the Hasberry Forest, a number of fires raged. They burned the trees, charring their trunks to black. Birds and animals scattered in terror, seeking some sort of refuge. Smoke drifted through the forest, blown eastward by the wind and casting a heavy cloud over the forest. The sound of gunfire reverberated throughout the forest in sporadic outbursts and, here and there, shadowy figures flitted through the undergrowth.

Close to the eastern edge of the forest, Laguna heard the distant shots and quickened his pace. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead and rolled down his face. It was the middle of summer, and the trees grew so closely together that they trapped the summer heat, making everything feel close and damp. With the sun descending the temperature was beginning to drop, but it would be a long time before it cooled down. Laguna panted, tired from the heat and the long run.

He was following what was once an old game trail. The path wound through the forest like a maze. Only an expert tracker could find his way through this forest. The trail had not been used in months, not since the war against Timber had begun. Laguna looked down. A flower was sticking up out of the trodden dirt. The soldier stepped over it, not wanting to destroy something that had worked so hard to grow in this time of war.

Laguna turned his attention back to the forest. He scanned the trees. There was no sign of the Timber army anywhere. Laguna sighed in relief and turned his eyes back to the trail. According to the reports the army had infiltrated every part of this forest, but it had been a while since he had seen any of them. That was good, Laguna thought. If it stayed that way, then he'd make it in time.

Laguna jumped over a log. As he touched the ground a faint buzz, like a small electric charge, shot through his mind. The soldier paused and shook his head. The buzz surged up and then settled, pulsing in the back of his mind. A small voice, so soft it could barely be heard, spoke.

_(Hmmm…?)_

The soldier ignored the buzzing sound in his head and carried on running. Perhaps someone had cast _Thundaga_ magic in this area, leaving a residual electric charge in its wake. There were no signs of a battle having been fought in this area, however. Laguna held his machine gun close to his chest and kept on running.

"Uhh, Laguna, are you sure this is the right way?"

The voice came from Kiros, running close behind him. Tall, slender and dark-skinned, with long brown hair twisted into braids, Kiros Seagill had been Laguna's trusted friend for many years. Jogging behind Kiros was Ward Zabac, another of Laguna's close friends and the last of their trio. Ward was taller still, with broad shoulders and a large, muscular body. His face was strong, masking a gentle nature than his first appearance gave. Strapped to his back was a large, club-like harpoon. Like Laguna, both men were dressed in the blue-and-silver garb of Galbadian soldiers.

_(…What the…!)_

_(Huh?)_

Kiros and Ward both paused, feeling the same electric charge that Laguna had felt just moments before. Neither man said anything, nor could they quite make out the voices that had spoken. The words were more like distant, passing thoughts in the backs of their minds. Coming to the same conclusion as Laguna, that it was the lingering effects of a _Thunder_ attack, they hurried on after him.

The trio followed the path until the trees came to an end and they ran out into a large clearing. Tall blades of grass up to a metre in height grew here, wafting in the breeze. A battle had been fought here at some point. There were small fires burning in the grass, sending smoke rising into the air. The three men kept close together, in case the enemy was hiding in the grass.

_(Where am I?)_

Ward Zabac touched his forehead. "Ooh-boy," he muttered. "Not again…" The buzzing increased, and Ward felt overwhelmed by an unusual sense of confusion.

_(Dream?)_

Ward did not know it yet, but Laguna and Kiros were also suffering from that same feeling of confusion. Voiceless questions sprang into their minds from nowhere, unbidden and unexplained. They could not even make out what the voices were saying. All they knew was that at those moments when the voices spoke the buzzing surged and they felt, strangely, as though they were being watched. They quickened their pace. They reached the end of the clearing, re-entering the Hasberry Forest.

The Hasberry Forest was an incredibly vast terrain, covering more than a third of the continent. It spread across all three of the main nations: Galbadia, Timber, and Dollet. With the Galbadian Army spreading south and eastward, they were being forced to cut down a large number of trees to make way for the army's troops.

With the forest dwindling rapidly, the native monsters had started coming out in force, fighting to defend their territory. This caused trouble for both the Galbadian Army and the Timber Army, but they were nothing more than a nuisance. So far the Galbadian Army, with its superior numbers and highly-skilled soldiers, was winning the battle. The Timber Army was being driven back.

The three soldiers rounded a bend. Laguna saw movement in the bushes. Here was one of the monsters now. He raised his machine gun and fired a few rounds into the bushes. There was a terrified squeal and the monster emerged. It was a Funguar, a walking mushroom with bulbous eyes and a vertical mouth filed with saw-like teeth. It came at him, shrieking loudly.

Laguna fired. The shots hit the Funguar and went straight through. The monster barely had time to squeal before its body started to shrivel and turn black. Now nothing more than a dried-up root, the Funguar dissolved and was blown away on the wind. Laguna lowered his gun and clenched his fist. He signalled to Kiros and Ward, and the three men continued running.

Laguna led his friends through the forest until they reached a stream. The summer heat had caused the stream to almost dry up, and the water rippled and bubbled as it passed over the stones that littered the bed. Laguna paused and looked at the stream. There had been a stream on the map, and it was close to where the Galbadian army had disembarked to engage the Timber army. They must be close…

A log had fallen over the bank of the stream, connecting the two sides. After first testing the log's strength with his foot, Laguna ran across. Kiros and Ward followed him. The log bent underneath Ward's bulk but did not snap. When they reached the other side they carried on running into the forest. They followed Laguna's lead, ignoring the sense of confusion that returned as they headed deeper into the forest.

As they ran down the trail another Funguar leaped out of the brush. It landed on the trail, tottering forward on its spiked underside, and stopped in the middle of the path. Its body stretched and contracted, its vertical mouth opened and closed, oozing saliva. A second Funguar then emerged from the other side of the path. It stood beside its companion, blocking the soldiers' paths. Laguna started to raise his gun, but Kiros and Ward darted in front of him.

Ward unhooked the harpoon from his back and hurled it with all his might. The harpoon sailed through the air and pierced the first of the two Funguar, ripping a giant hole through its rubbery flesh.

Kiros dived upon the second. Raising his two Katals—handheld blades like large knives—he slashed at the Funguar. The blades sliced through the Funguar's skin with ease, releasing a spray of sticky, dirty-white blood. The Funguar flinched and shrieked. With amazing agility and flexibility Kiros zipped in behind the Funguar and slashed again. More blood oozed, and the Funguar contracted its body into a tight ball. It hopped off back into the forest, choosing to run rather than fight.

Leaping over the Funguar's dissolving body the three soldiers began to move again. Kiros and Ward pulled back, allowing Laguna to take the lead once more. Laguna grunted but said nothing, in this case seeming content to take the lead.

After a short distance the soldiers stopped to catch their breath. Laguna leaned over, his hands on his thighs, panting heavily.

Ward took a handkerchief from his trouser pocket and mopped his brow. "Hey," he said, "aren't we here to fight a war? You know, against the almighty Timber army?"

"Yeah, so why are we wasting our time with these animals?" said Kiros. He looked into the bushes. There was yet another Funguar lurking there. Its eyes peered at them through the leaves, but did not come any closer.

Laguna pushed himself upright. He wiped his brow with the back of his gloved hand. He turned to his two friends and scratched the back of his head. His face was red.

"Well, you see…" he began, somewhat hesitant. "It's just that, uhh…"

Kiros folded his arms across his chest. "Don't tell me we're lost again," he said.

Laguna grinned sheepishly, still scratching his head. Realising this to be the case Kiros groaned, and Ward slapped his forehead with his hand.

Laguna turned back to the forest. They weren't lost, not really. Laguna knew exactly where they were. It was just that if he told Kiros and Ward the reason why they were going this way… Kiros would probably laugh and tease him, while Ward would give him a lecture. It was better they just followed him, believing that he had gotten them lost once again.

"Anyway…" he said, breaking the awkward moment. "We're goin' home. Deling City, here we come!" Laguna then ran on ahead, leaving his two friends behind.

"W-Wait! Laguna!" Ward and Kiros hurried after him.

Laguna paused long enough for his friends to catch up with him. Normally he did not like to take the lea, and yet somehow he always seemed to end up doing so, with Kiros and Ward following close behind him. It was always this way. Of course, in this case, he made an exception…

Their destination was just ahead. Just around another bend in the trail the forest opened up into another large clearing. A Galbadian transport truck was parked here, just as he expected. He climbed aboard and took the driver's seat. Kiros and Ward took the seats next to and behind him. Putting the truck into gear, Laguna drove the truck forward and headed toward the forest's exit.

* * *

It was night by the time they reached Deling City, the capital of Galbadia. The city's entrance was heavily guarded, but after checking their passes the soldiers let Laguna and his friends through.

As usual, the streets of Deling City were packed with people. It was a cosmopolitan city, filled with commerce and spectacular sights. There was a vast shopping district, the central gateway that marked the centre of the city, and the magnificent Presidential Residence, to name but a few of them. The Presidential Residence was the place where the city's president and dictator resided, though very few had any cause to go in there.

Also as usual the streets were packed with soldiers. Soldiers stood at every street corner, outside every residence deemed to be of importance. They patrolled the streets at regular intervals, keeping a close eye on the people walking by.

As he drove the truck in the direction of the central square, Laguna looked out of the window. An elderly woman, laden down with heavy shopping bags, was struggling down the street. She walked past a soldier. The man did not offer her a hand, nor did he even look at her as she walked past.

Laguna clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. It was such a ridiculous practice, this posting of guards throughout every corner of the city. Deling City was controlled entirely by the military and its dictator, President Deling. Here the words of the citizens meant nothing. Only the president's word was absolute. He had imposed many rules upon the citizens, and his soldiers were in charge of enforcing those roles. Rule-breaking was not tolerated, and anyone who did break the rules risked severe punishment at the hands of the army. There were no exceptions.

Yet despite all the rules and the soldiers, the city was prosperous and wealthy. It was also the most powerful city on the continent, overshadowing the port-city of Dollet and the peaceful city of Timber, with who they were currently at war.

The war… Thinking about it made Laguna sigh. Although he was a part of the Galbadian army, it was not something he had wanted to do. He was a strong fighter and could fire a gun with great skill and accuracy, but fighting was not his calling. Still, it was not a bad life, being a soldier. In the army he got to see a number of things, both good and bad. And Kiros and Ward were with him, as they always had been. It was just that there were so many other things Laguna longed to do with his life. He did not want to waste his life serving some pompous dictator.

The truck drove around the corner and pulled up outside the station. Since there were no other vehicles around, Laguna stopped the truck in the middle of the road.

"H-Hey!" called Ward, as Laguna started to climb out of the truck. "You can't park in the middle of the street!"

"Chill man, it's cool."

The soldier climbed out and stood in the middle of the road. He took a deep breath, taking in the city air. It was surprisingly fresh, and laden with the many scents coming from the shopping district. Kiros and Ward climbed out after him. Laguna took another breath, let it out with a content sigh, and turned to his friends.

"Alright then!" he said, putting his hands on his hips. "How about a drink?"

Kiros and Ward shared a glance. "We're not just here for the booze, are we?" Kiros asked Laguna, in a somewhat scolding tone. "We've got a war to fight."

Ward smirked and nudged Kiros's arm. "So we'll get smashed, and then we'll CHAAARGE!" He laughed heartily.

Laguna gave a deep sigh, his expression a mixture of pity and hurt. "Kiros, Ward…" he began. He shook his head and then raised his gaze. "You two seem to misunderstand. I just want to have a friendly drink with you two."

Ward scratched his head, and Kiros shrugged. That was so like Laguna. Even when he was the one being reprimanded, he was able to turn the other's words against them and make it seem like _they_ were in the wrong. Still, being in the city was far more preferable to being in the forest and the war was going so well already that nobody was going to miss them for one evening.

They left the truck and headed down the street. Just as they left, a bus drove up and stopped in front of the truck, which was partially blocking the stop. The three soldiers glanced at each other and then quickened their pace as the bus driver began to honk his horn at the vehicle, shouting out of the window. The soldiers broke into a run, heading towards the shopping district.

The shopping district was still open even at night, and a large number of people were still walking around laden with shopping. Despite that Laguna and his friends were dressed in military uniforms, the citizens paid no attention to them. The people were so used to the sight of the Galbadian army on the streets that they had become part of the background and paid no attention to them, so three more soldiers wandering around was no big surprise.

Their destination was the Galbadia Hotel. It was a fine hotel, featuring luxurious rooms, a large dining hall with the best chefs in the city (next to the president's own) and a lounge next to the foyer. It was a popular place among citizens and tourists alike; everyone wanted to stay there at least once in their lives. Entry into the lounge was free for Galbadian soldiers, the only thing Laguna was truly thankful for. After all, if he had not been a part of the army, he never would have discovered _her_.

There were a few soldiers already in the lounge. Laguna knew why they were here. It was for the same reason he had snuck away from his own duty to come here. Kiros and Ward had also grasped this fact, and were smiling and shaking their heads.

At the head of the room was a large piano placed upon a small stage. The Galbadia Hotel offered a variety of entertainment each evening, from singers to musicians. But there was only one who drew the most crowds, only one who everyone came to see if they could.

As Laguna and his friends descended the stairs into the lounge, a waitress hurried over to them. She recognised the three men straight away from their previous visits and, like everyone else she had seen tonight, she knew why they had come.

"Welcome!" she said in a cheerful voice. "Your usual table is ready."

_(Huh? Excuse me?)_

Laguna paused and touched his head. That buzzing feeling was back, along with that same bizarre feeling of confusion. It had died down a little while he was driving and he thought that it had gone away, but here it was, back again. "What?" he asked.

Kiros saw Laguna's puzzled face and touched his arm. "What's wrong?" he asked.

At first Laguna did not respond. He scratched his head. He could not explain but… at that moment when the buzz surged he thought he heard another voice, and he thought, for a second, that he was somebody else. That he was someone who did not belong, and who did not know what was going on. "I… I don't know," Laguna confessed, still scratching his head.

_(What is this?)_

There it was again. "Huh?" Laguna tilted his head and tapped it, like he was clearing his ears of excess water. That time he was sure he had heard a voice, though he could not make out the words. The soldier's brow creased. This wasn't a usual side effect of _Thunder_ magic residue. Maybe he'd pushed it too far in their last fight.

"What's wrong?" Kiros repeated, looking concerned.

"Ahh…" Laguna hesitated. What could he say? That his head was buzzing…? That he thought he heard voices…? That he was someone else…? Kiros would think he had gone mad, and no matter what, he could not miss this show. "I'm not quite sure," he answered. It wasn't exactly a lie.

"Wait a second…" said Ward. "Is your head buzzing?"

Laguna looked at Ward in surprise. "W-What… You, too?"

Ward nodded. "Yeah, ever since we were in Timber."

"Me, too…" confessed Kiros.

Laguna stared at his two friends and then scratched his head again. That was weird… So it was not just him who was having these weird thoughts, these feelings… Kiros and Ward were experiencing them, too. At least that ruled out the possibility that he was going insane. That was a relief. So what were they then? Faeries…?

"Hey," said Ward, breaking through the sombre mood that had settled on Kiros and Ward, "we're just tired, that's all." He gave Kiros a firm pat on the back, almost knocking the soldier over. "We'll be fine after a drink or two or three…" He laughed.

Kiros regained his balance and shoved Ward's hand away. Laguna couldn't help but smile. He could always count on Ward and Kiros to say something to lighten the mood. That was it. They were just tired. They were in the middle of a war. Strange things were expected to happen during war. Those thoughts would vanish after a few drinks. Laguna turned back to the waitress. She had been standing by them this whole time, waiting for their answer. "Thanks," he told her.

The waitress bowed her head and then gestured to a table at the far end of the room. The three soldiers bowed their own heads in return and walked past her. As they walked their heads began to buzz once more.

_(Is this a dream…?)_

_(Laguna's pretty cute!)_

_(What's going on! W-What's happening to me!)_

Ignoring the buzz and the silent whispers, the three soldiers gathered around the table. It was a small table, just big enough for three or four people, but it offered a good yet discreet view of the stage. Kiros and Ward stood at attention, smirks on their faces, waiting for Laguna to give them their orders. Laguna smiled and shook his head. He stood at attention, arms pinned to his sides.

"At ease, men," he commanded, and the three soldiers sat down. Laguna, whose seat was closest to the stage, stood up again. "We're goin' all out tonight, right boys!" he said. He then sat down again, rubbing his hands together.

The waitress came up beside them. "May I take your order?" she asked.

Laguna looked up at the young lady and gave her a charming smile. "The usual."

"Me, too," said Kiros.

"Keep 'em coming!" said Ward.

The waitress tucked her tray under her arm, bowed her head once more, and then headed off to the bar to fetch their drinks. On her way she passed a tall young woman who had just entered the lounge from the foyer. The waitress paused and bowed respectfully. The woman nodded her head and then headed over to the stage. The waitress went to the bar, ordering the soldier drinks.

"So, Laguna…" Ward was saying. "Julia should be making her appearance soon." He looked over at Laguna. "You goin' for it tonight?"

Kiros grinned. "You go for it!"

Laguna tore his eyes away from the stage and glared at his two friends. "Whatever, man!" he whispered sharply. "Can't you see she's working?"

The woman sat down in front of the piano. She raised the lid; laid her hands upon the keys. A hush fell upon the room. Laguna swivelled in his chair to face the stage, forgetting Kiros and Ward. His friends looked at each other and smiled. This was the real reason Laguna had wanted to come back here. It had nothing to do with having a friendly drink with his friends. He just could not pass up the chance to see Julia again, and hear her play her music.

And Laguna was not the only one. Everyone in the room was drawn to the stage, their eyes on the young woman, eager to hear her play. The woman took a breath, let her eyes half-close, and then… she began to play.

A sweet melody filled the room. The woman was a talented pianist. Her fingers danced over the keys, bringing every note she played to life. She did not even need to look at the sheet music, for she knew every song by heart. The sound of her music entranced all those in the room. There was no one who was not under her spell, no one who could argue against the beauty of her music. The woman let her eyes flutter closed, playing the music from memory alone.

Kiros was the first to take his eyes away from the woman. He looked over at Laguna, whose eyes were fixed on the woman sitting at the piano. "Don't go back on your word," Kiros said to him. He gave Ward a sly wink. "C'mon, go wave to her."

Laguna turned away from the woman. He sighed and sagged forward. "Give me a break…" he muttered.

"So you say," Ward said, "but we know you'll do it." He picked up his glass, left by the waitress, and downed it all in a single gulp.

Laguna sagged further and gave an even deeper sigh. Following Julia's performance the night before last, Laguna had gotten very drunk and had vowed in front of all present that the next time he watched Julia play her piano, he would go up to the stage and wave to her. It was a fool's vow, born out of drunken idiocy. The next day he had cursed himself for promising something so stupid, but it seemed he could not escape it. Ward and Kiros were going to hold him to it, drunk or not.

Reluctant, Laguna pushed himself onto his feet. With their eyes burning into his back, following him, he headed towards the stage. Out of the corner of his own eye he saw the heads of everyone in the room turn to look at him, watching his every step. Laguna's eyes then flicked to the stairs. He gauged the distance. He could probably run and be out the door before anyone could stop him. But then, he realised, he would never live down the shame… Damn, Kiros! Damn, Ward!

Laguna reached the stage. He stopped by the steps and looked up at Julia. When his eyes fell upon her the rest of the world seemed to fall away. Kiros, Ward, the other soldiers, the waitress… Everyone seemed to disappear, leaving just him and Julia.

Julia… She was one of the most beautiful women Laguna had ever seen. She was tall and slender, with raven-coloured hair that ran slick against her head. Tonight she wore a long red silk dress with her arms bare and a net of straps around her neck and shoulders. Her face was smooth as marble and lightly dabbed in makeup.

Not that she needed it, Laguna thought to himself. Julia was beautiful. Her beauty—along with her music—had drawn more than its fair share of patrons into the Galbadia Hotel. She was the main attraction, Deling City's secret star, popular with every young man who laid eyes on her. Including Laguna.

Julia had not noticed Laguna yet. Her eyes were open once more, but her gaze was locked solely on the piano. The light shining from the overhead lights cast a gentle glow upon the stage, bathing Julia in a sea of light. At least, that was what Laguna felt as he looked at her. He gazed at her in longing, taking in her delicate beauty.

_Ah…_ he thought. _To be this close to Julia…_

_(Is this guy serious?)_

Laguna did not feel the drone in his head, for at that moment Julia raised her eyes and saw him. Her eyes locked with his and she held his gaze. Her eyes were large and dark and Laguna, being a romantic sort of man, could have sworn she saw them twinkle when she looked at him. Her hips parted and she smiled ever-so-softly, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink. Laguna gathered his courage and started to raise his hand when a sharp pain shot up his leg. Laguna froze; his face turned white.

…_Uh-oh…_ he realised in a panic. _My leg's cramping up…! Argh…_

The muscles of his leg stiffened, cramping painfully. Laguna keeled over and clutched at his leg, grunting in pain. Of all the times for this to happen, why did it have to be _now_? He could feel Julia's eyes on him. Over the sound of the music, he heard Kiros and Ward giggling. Damn them both…

Laguna turned away from the stage. He limped away from the stage, holding his injured leg, hoping that the movement would ease the cramp. He knew what had caused it. Being so close to Julia, the feel of her eyes on him… it had been too much for his nerves to bear. He paused and shook his leg, trying to shake out the cramp. More stifled laughter came from the rest of the room.

_(Sad…)_

Alas his efforts came to naught. The cramp did not ease. Knowing he would not get away with returning without completing his mission, Laguna forced himself to limp back to the stage. Without meeting Julia's gaze, he gave her a very stiff bow. He then limped away from the stage as fast as he could, returning to his table.

"Good work, Laguna," Kiros said when Laguna came back. The young man had a wide smirk on his face, which he kept hidden behind his hand as he sniggered in amusement.

"Mission successful!" said Ward.

"Here," said Kiros, patting the chair, "have a seat."

Laguna said nothing. Now that he was back here, away from Julia, the cramp in his leg was beginning to ease. However, the effort had been costly. Laguna felt positively drained. He slumped into his chair and leaned over to stare at the floor. The music came to a close and silence returned to the room.

"I didn't think you'd actually do it," Ward was saying. "Our popularity rating's gone up a point."

"Yeah," agreed Kiros, "but you cut a pretty pitiful figure up there. I'd say you're about a -3 on the manliness scale."

"Say what you want," Laguna snapped. It was true, though he hated to admit it. Until then, no man had been bold enough to go up and speak to Julia, let alone wave to her, and his effort had been less than impressive. Laguna leaned further forward, his dark hair falling over his face. "Julia sure is pretty…" he said with a sigh.

Kiros and Ward looked at each other, sharing a secret smile. Laguna was not a man who crumbled under pressure, but around Julia he acted like a lovesick teenager. They turned back, hoping to say something encouraging. Their gazes rose. Their jaws fell open, and their eyes widened in surprise.

"Aaa…"

"Hunhhh…?"

The two men rose abruptly onto their feet. "Laguna, we're takin' off," said Kiros. He downed his drink in two quick gulps and then followed Ward away from the table.

Laguna stood up. "H-Hey!" he said in protest. "What's the rush?" He made to go after his friends, but Ward turned around and pushed him gently back.

"It's on us, tonight," Ward told him. He patted Laguna's shoulder. "Relax and stay a while, Laguna."

Kiros and Ward then left and hurried over to the bar to order more drinks. Laguna folded his arms and stared at them. Had his performance really been that bad? It had been embarrassing, to say the least, but sure not so bad as to—

"May I?"

The voice came from behind him. Laguna turned around. Like Kiros and Ward his eyes opened wide and his jaw fell open in disbelief.

Standing directly behind him was Julia.

"Aaaaa…" Laguna took a step backwards. A painful cramp shot up his leg once again.

Julia turned her head in the direction of Ward and Kiros, standing by the bar. "Did I interrupt anything?" she asked him.

In a manner more vigorous than was probably necessary, Laguna shook his head. "N-N-N-Not at all," he said, stuttering as he spoke. "P-Please, s-sit down."

Laguna sat down, half-falling into his seat. It was probably a good thing he sat down right then, for the blood had rushed to his head. His leg ached painfully, his head throbbing, but he paid no heed. He locked his fingers together, playing with his thumbs, as a dozen thoughts ran through his mind at once.

_Oh man, oh man, it's really HER! What do I do! Kiros? Ward? HELP! What do I say! But man, she's pretty…_

_(What's this guy thinking…?)_ whispered the buzz in his mind.

Julia put her fingers to her lips to mask her giggle. She then sat down on the seat next to Laguna. She smoothed out her dress and then folded her arms in her lap. "Are you okay now?" she asked Laguna.

Laguna looked up, and then down again. "Kind of…" he replied.

"How's your leg?"

"L-Leg?" Laguna repeated, feeling his face burn. As he had feared, Julia had seen the whole humiliating scene. "Oh, this! Y-Yeah, it's fine." He patted his still-cramped leg. "Happens all the time when I get nervous." He coughed.

Julia inclined her head. "Were you nervous?"

"Oh, yeah," replied Laguna. He may as well answer honestly. "I'm still kinda…"

"You can relax," Julia assured him. "You don't have to get nervous around me."

"Oh, sorry," said Laguna, and Julia smiled.

Laguna's face burned hotter. Relax, she had said. That was easier said than done. Julia was so pretty, and she was so close… Laguna's heart began to pound loudly inside his chest. He had never been this close to her. He had only admired her from afar. Now she was this close… His leg began to twitch, and Laguna had to exert ever ounce of his will to keep it still.

While Laguna was focused on keeping his body still, Julia raised her eyes and looked around the lounge. "Say…" she began. She then paused and inched closer to Laguna, making his heart almost leap out of his chest. "Would you like to talk somewhere private?" Julia asked, dropping her voice to a whisper. "I have a room here…"

Now Laguna's heart _did_ leap, banging painfully against his ribcage with such force that Laguna feared he might fall dead right there and then, in front of Julia. He jumped to his feet, his eyes wide in alarm. "I-In your room!" he cried.

Laguna could have sworn he saw Julia's cheeks flush. She lowered her head and brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "Well… It's pretty hard to talk freely here," she said. She looked around the room once more. "Everyone's listening in."

Laguna followed her gaze. Sure enough, every single person in the lounge was looking in their direction. They had been curious enough already when they saw Julia go over. After his outburst, however, several of the men and woman in the room, including Kiros and Ward, had moved closer, eager to hear their conversation.

"If you'd like to," Julia continued, "please come by. I've been wanting to talk to you." Laguna stared down at her, his eyes wide, unable to believe his ears. Mistaking his silence for reluctance, Julia looked down. "You don't want to?"

Laguna shook his head. "Of course I do!" he assured her.

Julia smiled back at him, and Laguna's breath caught in his throat. When she smiled it was like… no, there were no words to describe what it felt like when she smiled.

"Then I'll go ahead and wait for you." Julia rose to her feet. "Ask for my room at the front desk, okay?"

With a gentle bow, Julia turned and left. She crossed the floor to the stairs and headed up. When she was halfway she paused and looked back. Her eyes met Laguna's, and she smiled again. Laguna's heart made another desperate leap. Julia then turned away from him and disappeared into the foyer.

The atmosphere in the room returned to normal. Those who had been lingering around listening in resumed their previous business. Kiros and Ward returned to the bar. Laguna stood alone, his eyes lingering on the stairs. He folded his arms.

_Am I dreaming?_ he thought to himself.

_(…This is a dream… This is a dream…)_

Laguna shook his head. _No, this can't be a dream!_ he assured himself.

_(This is too weird to be a dream…)_

_Julia… Wants to talk to me…?_

_(…He talks to himself too much…)_

_And just the two of us!_ Laguna's fingers clenched, gripping his sleeve. His face blushed. Realising what he was thinking, the soldier shook his head. _Get it together, Laguna…_ he told himself sternly. This was not the time to be thinking such things! Julia was not that kind of woman! She would never invite men to her room for that!

_(Whatever.)_

_I always screw up by talking about myself_. _It's always been like that. But not tonight! I'm all ears for Julia!_ He unfolded his arms and clenched his fist. _Ahh, time to use my manly charm and help Julia with her problem._

Laguna made to leave. Then he stopped and went back to the table. He picked up his drink, which the waitress had left and was still untouched. The soldier downed it all in a single swig (for courage!) and then headed up the stairs to the foyer.

The foyer was empty, except for the receptionist behind the front desk. Laguna made his way over to her, trying his best to look cool, like he belonged here. He stopped by the desk, scratching his head awkwardly.

The receptionist looked up. "Welcome!" she said, grinning. "Checking in?"

Laguna opened his mouth. He then froze, unable to speak. His leg, which had started to relax, cramped up again. His heart beat rapidly. It should be simple. All he had to do was ask for Julia's room. But now that he was here, at the desk, he could not find the words. Laguna swallowed, trying to bolster his courage. He tried again.

"Whi-Whi-Which…" His voice cracked, and he fell silent again.

The receptionist looked at him closely, and then remembered the slip of paper she had been given moments before the soldier arrived. "…Ahh, Mr. Laguna Loire? I've been expecting you." She smiled as Laguna jumped back, alarmed that she had known who he was before he could tell her. The receptionist waved her hand towards the lift. "Let me show you to Ms. Julia's room."

* * *

"Thanks for coming," said Julia, closing the door.

Laguna scratched his head. He was standing in Julia's bedroom, on the top floor of the hotel. It was a very large and expensive-looking room. It had patterned walls and a dark blue carpeted floor, and twin beds with light pink satin sheets. A small table with two chairs stood beside the bedroom window, which looked out into the city. Laguna could just picture Julia sitting in one of those chairs, looking out at the city as she composed her songs.

"No…" Laguna tore his eyes away from the window. Now was not the time to daydream. "Not at all, uh… Thank you for inviting me."

Julia nodded and waved her hand. "Have a seat," she said.

Laguna did as she instructed. He walked over to the nearest of the two beds and sat down, the mattress sinking under his heavy armour. The sheets were so soft… like silk… Laguna's heart leaped. What was he doing, taking a seat on Julia's bed! Realising how improper he must have appeared, Laguna jumped up again. He walked over to the far end of the room and sat down heavily on a chair by the window. Almost immediately he stood up again. Julia giggled, amused by his awkwardness.

Laguna felt her eyes on him, and his face burned hot. He was making a spectacle of himself… humiliating himself in front of Julia. His courage failing, he quickly headed for the door.

Before he could reach it, Julia said: "Going so soon. We haven't even talked yet."

Laguna stopped and turned back to her. She was right, of course. It would be rude to run out on her before they'd even had a chance to speak. Laguna knew his fact must have been as red as a beetroot, but Julia did not seem to care in the least.

"No, it's not that," Laguna replied. He stepped away from the door, scratching his head. "It's just that I'm a big fan of yours, so I'm really kinda nervous, y'know?"

"So that's why you come to hear me play so often." The pianist raised her dark eyes and met his gaze.

The sight of those large eyes looking at him made Laguna jump back. "You… You saw me?" Overcome with sudden panic, Laguna ran from Julia to the back of the room. He paced the floor, twiddling his fingers over and over, aware that all the while Julia was watching him. He could not believe it. Julia had actually _noticed_ him. She had seen him there watching her perform.

Julia watched as Laguna paced the floor. "You were always smiling while listening, right?" she asked. She moved over to a smaller table opposite the twin beds. As she moved her dress shifted over her body, catching the light from the bedside lamp and making it shimmer. Julia stopped by the table and laid her fingers on the wood.

"You have beautiful eyes," she continued, without looking up. "Though they look a bit scared now." She turned to Laguna once more. Laguna stopped pacing and turned back to her. "Don't worry," said Julia. "I'm not going to pluck 'em out and eat 'em. I just want to talk, gazing into those eyes."

Laguna could not reply. He felt as though he was standing in some sort of dream. His heart was beating so painfully he wasn't sure he could take much more. Was Julia…? Did she…?

Before he could ask, Julia turned away. "Would you like something to drink?" she asked him. She picked up a bottle of wine from the table. "Wine perhaps?"

Laguna let out a shaky breath. "I must be dreaming…" he whispered.

* * *

"Yeah, I don't like fightin' too much," Laguna was saying, "but you get to travel, y'know? Seeing new places n' stuff. An' it's fun, 'cause Kiros and Ward are always with me. Hey, we should all go out drinkin' sometime! What do you say?"

In front of him, Julia said nothing. The pianist was sitting down on the bed with one leg crossed over the other, an empty wine glass in her hand. At her feet was the wine bottle, half-empty. Laguna's glass was on the table, also empty. He stood before her, chatting away merrily. His previous nervousness was gone now, quelled after a few glasses of wine.

"And, uh… What was I talkin' about?" Laguna's brow creased. He clicked his fingers. "Oh yeah, so I want to quit the army and become a journalist! So I can tell people 'bout all the things I've seen on my travels."

His head buzzed, but Laguna did not notice.

_(He's already loosened up…)_

Without waiting for Julia to respond, Laguna carried on. "So, like, the other day, one of my articles made the reader's column. Pretty cool, huh? Yeah, that was so cool…"

"I'm happy for you…" said Julia. Laguna beamed with pride, and Julia could not help but smile. He acted so much like an excited little puppy. She just wanted to reach out and pet him on the head. She twirled her glass between her fingers, her eyes lingering on his face as he spoke.

"Oh yeah, and then…" Laguna began, recalling another story he wanted to tell. Then he remembered the promise he had made to himself down in the lounge. "Yikes… I'm talkin' too much again." He scratched his head, flushing in embarrassment.

Julia, however, did not seem to mind. Nor did she look bored, unlike every other woman Laguna had ever tried talking to. Julia had listened to his every word, truly interested in anything he had to say. All the while he was speaking Julia had kept her eyes on him, not breaking contact for a moment. Laguna recalled what she had said before, when they were down in the lounge. His smile faded. He stepped up to her.

Catching the sudden change of mood, Julia lowered her glass. "Yes?"

"Tell me about yourself," said Laguna. "Like… your dreams for the future."

The smile on Julia's face faded. Laguna blinked. Had he said something wrong?

The pianist set down her glass and rose to her feet. Laguna stepped aside. Julia crossed the floor and stopped by the table next to the window. She looked out at the city below, watching the endless stream of people as they passed by below.

"I… I want to sing," she replied finally. "Not just play the piano, but sing, too."

"Oh, I'd really love to hear it," said Laguna. He could just picture her on the stage, a microphone in her hand, singing her beautiful melodies. To hear her voice, singing…

Julia shook her head. "But I can't," she protested. "I'm no good at writing lyrics…"

Laguna left the bed and walked over to the door. He folded his arms. "Hmm… That must be tough," he agreed, nodding his head. It was certainly a problem. No wonder Julia looked troubled. It was hard to become a singer if you couldn't write a song.

Julia turned away. "But thanks to you, I think I can come up with something."

"Thanks to me…?" Laguna pointed at himself, puzzled. What had he done?

Julia nodded. She crossed the room towards Laguna, her footsteps cushioned on the soft carpet. "Yes…" she said as she walked. "The many faces you've shown me. Times when you were hurt, worried… Or felt pain deep inside you… Your smile, your face, your eyes…"

She stopped next to him. Laguna turned to her. Julia raised her head, looking up into his eyes. "You've shown me something… I think I can come up with a song." She smiled that sweet smile once again.

At first, Laguna could only stare. He could not believe his ears. That Julia could say those things… to _him._ "Wow…" he said, his voice a whisper. "I must be dreaming…"

Julia reached out and took his head. Laguna's heart began to pound once again, thudding loudly in his chest. With Laguna's hand resting in hers, Julia used her other hand to pinch his skin through the glove. Laguna flinched.

"It's not a dream, is it?" she asked.

She released his hand. It fell back by Laguna's side. She gazed up at him, her eyes large and warm. Laguna stared back at her, his pulse throbbing in his ears. He and Julia were standing so close together… Her eyes were staring right into his. They were so large, so dark… Her smile was so sweet, her face so beautiful… He longed to take her in his arms, feel her skin against his, her warmth… He started to lean in.

A loud knock on the door interrupted them. Laguna and Julia quickly parted, the tender moment broken. The knocking stopped, and Kiros's voice called through the door.

"Laguna! New orders! Meet by the Presidential Residence, on the double!"

Laguna's face fell. It could not be… Now, of all times, just when he and Julia were about to… The soldier sighed.

Julia also looked disappointed. "Can we meet again?" she asked him.

"Of course!" Laguna assured her, patting his chest. "I have to come hear you sing!"

Julia looked into his eyes. She then smiled and nodded her head. She took his hand in hers once again, gave it a gentle squeeze, and then released him. Laguna gave her a stiff, awkward bow and then hurried from the room, leaving Julia behind.

* * *

**[End of Dream World: Laguna Loire]**

**Coming Next: [Part Two: The Liberation of Timber]**


	16. Part 02: Chapter 14

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Part Two: The Liberation of Timber**

**Chapter Fourteen**

"_Next stop. Timber… Timber… Next stop. Timber… Timber…"_

A loud 'ping' cut through the fog, bringing Squall back to consciousness. The first thought that came to his mind was that the floor was hard, and seemed to vibrate. The swordsman opened his eyes and blinked, wondering where he was. Then the ground gave a sudden jolt and everything came back to him in a flash. The train, the cabin, and that awful whistle which came from nowhere. He remembered Zell and Selphie collapsing, and then he too fell down through a while light, and the next thing he knew he had been in Galbadia, as a Galbadian soldier in the Timber wars.

The overhead PA system pinged, signalling the end of the announcement. So they were almost at Timber already… he must have been out for a while. Squall groaned and pushed himself to his feet. His head was throbbing and his legs felt a little wobbly, but otherwise he was unhurt. He shook his head to clear the remaining fog.

Zell and Selphie were also awake. Zell was still on the sofa, leaning over with a puzzled look on his face. Selphie was by the bed, stretching out, and yawning loudly. "Were we… all asleep?" Squall asked. He put his hand to his head. The throbbing was easing, and the strength was gradually coming back to his body.

"Maybe someone released some sleeping gas?" Zell suggested, looking up at him. "There's a lot of people who resent SeeD."

Squall folded his arms. _…Maybe,_ he thought. _Better be careful._

It was a fact that although SeeD was a widely used and respected organisation, it did draw its share of critics. It was unethical, they said, for young people to be trained to fight. They also objected to the use of GF, whose side effects were long under question. There were protests when the three Gardens were established, but there had been no trouble recently. Still, they had better keep an eye out, just in case.

"Am I missing something?" Selphie asked, checking her boots. "Anyone hurt?

Squall looked around. He did not seem to be injured in anyway, only a little groggy from the long sleep. He looked over at Zell. The fighter also did not seem to be injured, and Selphie seemed fine, too. "…I don't think so," he answered.

Selphie placed her hand on her chest and sighed. "What a relief! Everything's cool with me!" she said cheerily. She walked over to the sofa. "Hee! I had such a nice dream." She sat down and smoothed out her dress, smiling to herself.

_I had a dream, too,_ Squall though. _It wasn't nice, though…_ He moved away from the sofa and stood by the bed, recalling the dark-haired soldier from his dream. _I dreamt I was a moron…_

The PA system rang again and the driver's voice spoke through the speaker. "We will be arriving in Timber shortly," he announced. "For those getting off, be sure you have all your belongings with you." The PA system rang once more and fell silent.

"But seriously," Selphie continued, "Sir Laguna was sooo cool!"

Hearing the name, Squall stopped and turned to Selphie. The girl did not notice and continued to smile with cheerful innocence. Squall raised an eyebrow. Laguna…

"Hey!" exclaimed Zell loudly, making Squall and Selphie jump. "There was a Laguna in my dream, too! He's a Galbadian soldier, right!"

Squall looked down. "Laguna, Kiros, and Ward…" he muttered in a low voice.

"Huh!" Zell stared at him and slammed his hand against the sofa. "That's it!"

"That's what…?" asked Squall.

Zell looked about to reply, but then he stopped and shut his mouth. He folded his arms across his chest, drumming his fingers. His brow creased further and further as he tried to come up with an answer, but he seemed to be drawing a blank. Squall was having the same problem. For them all to have the same dream… well, it was certainly an unusual occurrence, not something he had ever heard of before. Whatever had knocked them out, it certainly wasn't sleeping gas.

Selphie looked from one man to the other. She couldn't come up with a reason either, but there was no time to waste trying to figure it out. "There's no way we can understand this," she reasoned. "Let's just concentrate on our first mission!

Squall folded his arms again and gazed down at the floor. _…I guess you're right,_ he conceded. It was troubling, but they had other things they had to focus on. Like their mission. They were almost at Timber. "We'll put this incident on hold," he instructed his comrades. "I'll report it to the headmaster once we get back to Garden."

Zell and Selphie nodded. Zell rubbed his hands together. "We should be there soon, eh?" he said. He stood up and cracked his knuckles—a sound that made Squall flinch. "Here we go… Psyche yourself up, baby!" He then walked out of the cabin.

Selphie stood up. "Whew… Still sleepy," she said with a yawn. She rubbed her eyes, stretched, and then followed Zell out of the cabin, leaving Squall alone.

The swordsman remained in the cabin for a few moments more, collecting his thoughts. Would the headmaster have an explanation for this strange incident? Unlikely. "…" He shook his head. It was probably an amazing coincidence, nothing more. Grasping the hilt of his sword, Squall strode out of the cabin.

* * *

The Balamb train exited the underground tunnel, re-emerging on the western continent. The train moved through the Winhill Bluffs—vast plains of countryside filled with fields of tall grass and gentle slopes. The Lalapalooza Canyon framed the horizon, marking the official border between Timber and Galbadia. Towards the north Obel Lake was barely visible, and as the train turned towards Timber the lake disappeared from view.

The wind whistled as it moved over the train, and the train's own whistle blew in response. The train made one last turn and then drove into Timber, leaving the peaceful countryside behind.

The train slowed as it reached the station, before coming to a complete stop. The doors opened and the passengers piled out onto the platform. They did not hang around and moved away quickly, hurrying to their next destination.

Squall and his squad were the last ones to disembark. As soon as they stepped onto the platform, a cooling breeze whipped around them. Selphie held down her hair as she looked up at the sky. It was cooler in Timber than it was in Balamb. The breeze was nice but carried the faint scent of smog. Even so Selphie took in deep breaths of air, clearing her sleepy head. Zell stretched his body out, glad to be off the train after such a long journey.

Meanwhile, Squall cast his eye over the station. If his memory was accurate, this was one of several train stations in Timber. The city was made up of a vast network of stations built at various places throughout the town. Timber was the international crossroads of the western continent; from here it was possible to go to Dollet or Balamb, or to Deling City, the Galbadian capital. It was hard to go anywhere without seeing a train station, and trains were constantly on the move in this city. Squall also recalled hearing that there was a disused railroad a little ways south of the city, which supposedly led across the sea to the eastern continent.

The last of the passengers dispersed. The three SeeD from Balamb were now the only ones left standing on the platform. Squall looked around. A member of the resistance faction they were supporting was supposed to meet them here, according to the mission brief. So far no one had approached them. They couldn't just stand on the platform looking lost, so he signalled to Zell and Selphie and the trio headed down the steps towards the street. As they headed down the train doors slid shut and the train moved out, heading for the central station in the heart of the city.

As they headed down, Squall spotted a suspicious-looking man hanging about at the bottom of the stairs. On first glance he looked rather ordinary: dressed in a sleeveless jacket and a dark beanie hat. But everything else, from his stiff posture to the way his eyes darted about, made him stand out from the rest of the populace.

When Squall and his squad came near, the man stepped forward and coughed loudly to grab their attention.

"Oh, the forests of Timber sure have changed," he said.

Squall stopped and stared at the man. There was no doubt about it now; this man _was_ the resistance group member they were supposed to meet. But the way he had given the password, so stiff, so formal… could he have been any more obvious?

The swordsman casually laid his hand on his hip and looked out at the town. "But the Owls are still around," he replied, making a point to keep his voice light and relaxed.

Satisfied that he had found the right people, the man nodded and turned to them. "Welcome to Timber, sir," he said in the same formal tone. "Come with me, sir."

The man then turned and hurried back down the steps. He stopped at the bottom and looked back, beckoning for Squall and the others to follow him. The three SeeD looked at one another before following the man down into the streets of Timber.

A main street ran right alongside the rail tracks, separating the Balamb station with another train station further down. There were a number of shops along the street and already it was bustling with people. Many of them, Squall noticed, did not chatter as they walked and did not look at them. They kept mostly to themselves, focusing only on reaching their destination.

Squall recalled the information Zell had given him on the train. Timber was a city under Galbadian occupation, and had been since Galbadia's invasion eighteen years ago. Despite being under the rule of its neighbour the citizens never accepted their authority and as a result the city had not prospered. This was seen as the people's 'revenge' against the Galbadian army.

Also according to Zell, there were a number of resistance factions in Timber rebelling against the Galbadian occupation. Squall turned his eyes back to the man they were following, who was a member of one of these factions. The swordsman began to suspect that their mission would be to aid the resistance group in carrying out one of its plans. It was a daring move by the headmaster, who made a point to never get involved in political affairs. Squall wondered what could have changed his mind.

The man swerved and crossed the street, running up alongside the opposite railroad. At the level crossing he paused and looked down the tracks, before hurrying over to the other side. Here he stopped and turned back. He waved to Squall and the others, who had paused at the crossing.

"Please, please, this way, sir!" he called.

A train whistle blew. Squall, Zell and Selphie looked down the tracks. A train had just arrived and was slowing down as it approached the station. The barriers of the level crossing started to come down; if they did not cross now they would be stuck on this side. Signalling to his friends, Squall ducked down under the barrier and ran across the tracks. Zell and Selphie followed behind and ducked under the opposite barrier.

When all three had crossed the tracks the man turned and bounded up the steps to the platform. The train slowed and pulled in next to it. The locomotive door slid open. The man stood beside it and signalled for Squall and his squad to go on ahead. The three SeeD did as he bade and hurried onto the train. Once they were on board the man looked around the platform cautiously before following them onto the train. The door closed and the train began to move out of the station and into the city.

The interior of the train was very plain. The car they were standing in had a single door leading into another room, and a small set of steps going up to a corridor leading further down the train. There was no one else around except for themselves and the strange young man who had met them.

Without a word the man headed to the cabin door and knocked on it three times. It opened and a second man came out. This new person went by the name of Zone and was tall, had dark hair and eyes, and a pale, worried face. He looked relieved when he saw his comrade. They spoke together in hushed voices. Squall and the others waited for them to finish. When they were done talking Zone nodded and came forward to address the SeeD.

"So, you guys are SeeDs?" he asked.

He sounded a little sceptical. Squall couldn't really blame him. He was probably expecting mercenaries of an entirely different sort: older, battle-hardened, and terrifying to look at. A group of teenagers was far from that image.

"I'm the squad leader, Squall," the swordsman replied. He turned his head to indicate his two comrades, standing behind him. "This is Zell, and Selphie."

At first Zone still did not look convinced. Then he smiled and held out his hand. "Nice to meet ya," he said. "I'm the leader of the Forest Owls."

Squall did not look at the hand was offered to him, nor did he return the greeting. He responded only with a silent nod and nothing more. Zone, after a moment, lowered his hand. He went over to Selphie, who accepted his hand with a friendly shake. Seeing this, Zell rubbed his hand vigorously on his pants and held it out ready.

"So, let's get on with it," Squall said. "What do we do?"

Ignoring Zell's hand, Zone went back over to his comrade. "Just take it easy there," he said. "Let me introduce you." He gestured to his comrade, who was standing at a stiff and awkward attention beside him. "Looks like you already met Watts."

The man called Watts gave a stiff nod and a friendly wave; two actions that seemed completely out of junction with each other. At least this other one—the Forest Owls leader—seemed a bit more relaxed, thought Squall. He watched the resistance leader as he scratched his head and said: "I guess it's just our princess then."

Watts looked a little uneasy. "It's the princess' nap time sir," he reported.

Zone groaned. "Ahh, man…" He dropped to his knees and shook his head. He then pushed himself back onto his feet and turned to Squall. "Hey Squall," he said, speaking in a friendly manner, like he was addressing a long-term friend, "sorry, but could you go get the princess? She's in the last room up those stairs. Some of our other guys are in the room on the way. Ask 'em if you get lost."

At first Squall did not reply, unable to believe what he was hearing. Zell and Selphie also looked annoyed, sharing questioning glances. The swordsman folded his arms and gave Zone a stern look. "…Were we hired to run errands?" he asked. "Well?"

His voice was positively icy, and it had the desired effect. Zone jumped back and put his hands out in front of him, his eyes widening in alarm. "A-Are you angry!" he asked, his own voice trembling. Even Watts looked nervous, eyeing the SeeD warily.

Squall sighed, putting his hand to his head. _We're not gophers…_ he thought. _We're SeeD… special forces._ SeeD were hired to fight, not to run around doing errands. This Zone obviously thought that since he had hired them he could order them to do anything. That was one thing Squall was going to put him straight on.

Lowering his hand, he gave the resistance leader another icy stare. "This is the last time for this kinda thing," he said, in a tone that indicated that this would be the only time, and there would be trouble if it happened again. Zell and Selphie nodded their heads in agreement. Zone, after a moment, nodded as well. Message received.

Suddenly Zone winced, and his face scrunched up in pain. "OwOwOwaaahhh," he groaned. As Squall watched the resistance leader clutched at his stomach and then dropped down onto his knees, his body trembling. "Owwwahh… M-My stomach…"

Selphie gave a cry of alarm and Zell jumped to his feet. Squall looked down at Zone, who remained on the floor groaning and holding his stomach. He then looked up at Watts, who had not moved and seemed completely unconcerned. The swordsman tilted his head. Was this _normal_ then? Squall sighed. So the leader was just as strange as his comrade, after all. He motioned for Zell and Selphie to remain here, and then Squall headed up the steps and into the corridor.

There were three individual rooms inside the locomotive car. The first two acted as an Ops Room and a general waiting room for travellers. The door to the second room was open and Squall spared a quick glance as he passed. As Zone had said, there were other members of the resistance in there, talking jovially amongst themselves.

One of the resistance members was standing over a life-size mannequin, dressed in a simple blue-grey suit. The man was talking about the mannequin, Squall guessed, and heard him mention something about the 'president'. He did not stop to listen further and headed quickly down the corridor. He wanted to get this errand over with as quickly as possible so they could get on with their mission.

The door to the last room was wide open. Squall paused at the door, gave it a tap with the back of his hand, and then walked in.

The last room in the locomotive was very different to the other rooms on the train. Instead of plain grey walls and floors, the walls had been painted and a soft carpet had been laid on the floor. The sweet scent of flowers coming from a potpourri set on a dressing table drifted through the air.

There was also a bed in this room, and lying on the bed was a young woman. She had her back to Squall, so all he could see of her was her long dark hair and the back of a long duster that was the colour of the sky, with an angel motif sewn into the fabric. The woman appeared to be asleep, with her legs curled up close to her chest.

As Squall entered the bedroom the train gave a jolt and slowed down, coming to a stop. The woman stirred and rolled over, and Squall caught sight of her face. He was surprised… almost. The woman lying there on the bed was the woman from the inauguration party, the one who had dragged him onto the dance floor. In all honesty he had completely forgotten about her but now here she was again. So she was the Forest Owls' 'princess'?

After rolling over the woman opened her eyes. She blinked and then yawned, stretching her body out on the bed. She pushed herself up and rubbed her eyes sleepily. She then turned and spotted Squall standing in the middle of the room, watching her. Her eyes opened wide, more from surprise than alarm.

"Hey… You're…! You know, from the party…" she said. It seemed that she recognised Squall as well. The woman shuffled forward on the bed, looking up at him. "So… does that mean… You're a SeeD!"

Squall nodded. "I'm Squall, the squad leader," he said. "There's two others with me."

The woman got up off the bed. Before Squall could say anything she suddenly darted forward and threw her arms around him. Her momentum almost knocked Squall off his feet. He staggered, and he had to hold onto her to keep from falling over.

"YEEESSSS! SeeD is here!" She laughed, her face glowing in joy.

Squall fought to extricate her from him. He put the woman down and gently pushed her back. "Take it easy," he told her.

The woman continued to smile. "It's just that, I'm so happy!" she explained. Her excitement was barely contained, and it was hard to keep still. She walked to the far end of the room. "I've been sending requests to Garden forever, but nothing… I'm so glad I spoke to Cid directly!"

At first Squall looked puzzled. Then he recalled what she had said to him at the party. That she had been looking for 'someone'. "Oh… So you were looking for the headmaster at the party?" He laid a hand on his hip, speculating. She must have been looking to speak to the headmaster to discuss this very mission.

Realising what he must be thinking, the woman turned back to him and shook her head. "You know Seifer?" she asked.

Seifer… So, this woman knew Seifer. Squall folded his arms. "…Yeah."

"Well, he's the one who introduced me to Cid," the woman explained. She folded her arms behind her back and smiled again. "Cid is such a nice man. I really didn't think SeeD would come out to help a measly little group like us. But after explaining our situation to him, Cid gave the go ahead right away!" She laughed. "Now that you guys are here, we'll be able to carry out all kinds of plans!"

Still smiling, she walked past Squall and headed over to the dressing table to freshen up before rejoining her faction.

Squall meanwhile, lowered his head in thought. Somehow he doubted that the headmaster's decision was influenced by the resistance faction's situation. It was more likely that the headmaster did not dare say no to her while Seifer was present, especially after the events of the SeeD exam. It was far easier for him to accept the mission and hope it would calm things between Seifer and the Garden staff.

Squall raised his head. Whatever the reason, the errand was complete. All that was left was to take the woman back to Zone and the others, and then they could finally begin their mission. He went over to the dark-haired woman, who was just pulling some woollen arm sleeves over her arms.

Sensing him standing behind her, the woman turned. "Yes?" she asked him.

"I'm going back to the others," Squall replied.

The woman nodded. "Okay," she said, "let's go!"

Together they headed to the door. Halfway across the room the woman stopped and patted Squall on the shoulder. The swordsman stopped and turned back. "Umm, Squall," the woman began. "Is 'he' here?"

Squall put his hand on his hip. _'He'?_ Who did she mean by 'he'?

Seeing his confusion, the woman said: "Seifer."

Squall hesitated before answering. "…No," he said finally, "he's not a SeeD."

The woman's face fell. She turned her head away and self-consciously rubbed her arm, trying to mask her disappointment. "…Oh," was all she said. Before Squall could ask her anything further, the woman then turned and walked out of the bedroom.

Squall watched her go, trying to make some sense out of her reaction. So she had been hoping that Seifer would be assigned to this mission. Clearly he had not told her about his failing the SeeD exam. Squall folded his arms. How well did they know each other, he wondered. Not that it mattered. Personal feelings weren't considered when it came to missions.

He was broken from his thoughts when the woman suddenly ran back into the room. The disappointed look had gone from her face. "Oh yeah," she said, stopping be side him. "My name's… Rinoa. Very pleased to meet you, Squall." She held out her hand.

Squall paused, then took her hand and shook it. She had a firm grip and shook it with confidence. They released hands. Rinoa then leaned over and turned her head to look up at Squall, a playful smile on her face. "SeeD members dance quite well, don't they?" she asked in a teasing voice.

She was, of course, referring to the dance they had shared at the inauguration party. Squall crossed his arms and looked back at her, holding her gaze. "Approach your target inconspicuously at a dance party…" he replied. "There may be missions requiring that sort of subterfuge. It's expected of SeeD to learn various skills."

"Ohhh… So it's work-related." Rinoa stood up straight and looked away from Squall, shaking her head in pity. "That's too bad."

Squall stared at her. Was she teasing him?

He caught sight of movement in the doorway. Seeing his gaze shift, Rinoa turned around. A dog was padding its way into the room. It was a medium-sized dog with a thick coat of dark brown fur tinged with a lighter brown, and a white muzzle, chest and paws. The dog's most prominent features were its eyes, which were large and a very dark brown, much like Rinoa's eyes.

Rinoa's eyes lit up when she saw the dog walk in. She knelt down and spread her arms and the dog immediately padded to her side, his tail wagging. Rinoa ran her hands along the dog's head, ruffling the fur behind his ears. The dog tilted his head in pleasure and licked her hand. There was complete love and adoration in the dog's large eyes, adoration that was just as eagerly returned by Rinoa.

When she had finished stroking the dog, Rinoa stood up and turned to Squall. "Here, let me introduce you. This is my partner… Angelo." At his name, the dog barked. "Angelo is really smart!" Rinoa said. "Here, let me tell you…" She paused before continuing, as though trying to build up some dramatic tension.

"Angelo may not look it, but he is a fully trained fighting hound! He always fights by my side, and defends me when I'm being attacked. He also has the best sense of smell around, and will search out anything that I need. He responds to gestures as well as verbal commands. I trained him myself!" She took a breath and beamed at Squall. "Smart, huh?"

Squall said nothing in response, and simply folded his arms across his chest. Rinoa, not noticing, turned and knelt in front of Angelo. She took the dog's head in her hands, stroking his furry face. "I have some important work to do now," she told the dog. "Be good, Angelo."

At this Angelo whined and licked her hand again. Rinoa stroked him one last time and then rose to her feet. "Okay," she said, turning to Squall. "I'll meet you there." She then hurried out of the room, leaving Squall and Angelo behind.

Angelo whined, already missing his owner, and padded over to the bed. Part way he stopped and looked back, and then lowered his head. He lay down next to the bed and put his head on his paws, his large eyes lingering on the door.

Squall looked down at the dog, his face unimpressed. The dog had a good build, but somehow Squall doubted that he would be effective in a real battle. He looked far too gentle to be a fighting dog, and didn't even respond when a stranger was in his owner's room. This woman… Rinoa… was probably just trying to brag about her training skills.

Squall thought to what he had seen so far of the Forest Owls. What he thought did not impress him, and he was starting to have his doubts about this mission. Still, he reminded himself, appearances were deceptive. It was better to see what the faction had in mind before he made an official opinion.

The swordsman left the bedroom and hurried back along the corridor to where Zell and the others were waiting. The woman Rinoa was waiting for him at the top of the stairs, and she allowed Squall to pass before following him down to the others.

"This is Zell…" Squall said to Rinoa as they passed Zell down the steps. He then waved a hand to Selphie. "…And Selphie."

The fighter rose to his feet and nodded his head. Selphie turned from the window and gave Rinoa a cheerful smile. Rinoa, in turn, looked them both over and then waved in greeting. "Hi, everyone!" she said.

Rinoa then turned to Zone and Watts, who stood beside the door leading into the Forest Owls main ops room. Zone, his stomach pains now gone, silently nodded his head. Rinoa, understanding, nodded and then turned back to the three SeeD, who stood waiting to receive their orders.

"This way," said Rinoa, and she ran through the door and into the ops room.

Squall looked to Zone. The Forest Owls leader waved his hand, signalling them to go through. The SeeD hurried forward, following Rinoa into the room.

It was time to learn about their mission.

* * *

_**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS**_

I have come to the conclusion… that Rinoa is very hard to write for. I can't quite make out her thought process. Squall, Zell, Selphie and Quistis have been quite easy to adapt to… but Rinoa is a tricky one. I'll have to be especially careful when writing for her.


	17. Part 02: Chapter 15

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Fifteen**

"Just stand anywhere you want," Zone instructed, shutting the Ops Room door.

Squall, Zell and Selphie spread out around the room. The Ops Room of the Forest Owls was quite a large one, filling up around half of locomotive. There was a notice-board on the back wall with posters posted on it, as well as some personal notes posted by the resistance members. In the centre of the room was a table with a large model train set and a paper-mâché model of the countryside. Squall cast his eyes over it before Rinoa walked past him. He turned his attention back to Zone.

The Forest Owls leader cleared his throat and then began the mission briefing. "This is a full-scale operation," he said, addressing all those present. "Our resistance, 'The Forest Owls', will be forever known in the pages of Timber's independence!" He grinned. "Exciting, huh?"

Before him, the three SeeD said nothing. Squall folded his arms, while Zell leaned on one leg and rolled his eyes. Sensing that they were unimpressed by his speech, Zone scratched his head and then continued.

"It all started when we got a hold of top-secret info from Galbadia."

Watts interrupted him. "I got the info, sir!

"There's a VIP from Galbadia coming to Timber."

"Super V-I-P!" piped in Watts.

Zone carried on, ignoring his friend's enthusiastic outbursts. "The guy's name is Vinzer Deling." At the mention of the name, Zone's face darkened and his lip curled in disgust. "Our arch enemy, and the President of Galbadia."

"Vinzer Deling is a scoundrel!" Watts spat, and for a brief moment his formal visage cracked. "He's a dictator, not a president. Not even popular in Galbadia, sir!"

Squall lowered his gaze in thought. That the Galbadian president was unpopular was common knowledge, even to someone like him. Yet these two men talked as though the president was a personal enemy, and their faces changed drastically. Even Rinoa scowled and pursed her lips. Squall wondered what must have happened in the past to instil such hatred in these people.

"President Deling is taking a private train down from the Galbadian capital," Rinoa continued.

Zone then took over. "Our plan is to…"

Selphie, who had until that point had been looking out of the window, watching as the train left the city of Timber and headed back out into the country side, turned back and said: "…Blow it to smithereens with a rocket launcher?" She sounded almost hopeful.

Zone paled and Watts' eyes opened wide in alarm. Both men jumped back, their palms spread and shaking their heads. "Ahh… Not quite…" Zone replied, looking nervous. His stomach gave a painful growl.

Zell, growing more impatient by the minute, stamped his foot. "So get to the point!" he snapped, making Zone and Watts jump again. "Just tell us what to do!"

While the two men trembled, Rinoa stepped forward. "Shall we begin?" she asked.

The woman walked past the group and stopped beside the table in the centre of the room. She waved a hand at the others, gesturing for them all to join her. Zone and Watts came and stood beside her, while the three SeeD gathered around the table. Together they all looked down at the model.

The model was, as Squall had surmised earlier, of a railroad. There were two sets of tracks running from one end of the model to the other, joining somewhere in the middle and then splitting off again towards the end. There were two trains, one with two cars that was on the top tracks, and one with four that was in the middle. The paper-mâché model, Squall realised, was meant to represent the countryside surrounding Timber.

Now Rinoa took the lead in explaining to them their mission. "First, I'll go over the model," she began, and laid her hand on the train on the top tracks. "The yellow train on the top right is our 'base'. We're riding in it now." She then laid her hand on the red car behind it. "Right next to it is the 'dummy car'. We made it to look like the president's car."

Next she moved her hand to the other train, and her hand moved along the train as she explained each one. "Their train has three cars," she said. "First, there's the 'locomotive' followed by the '1st escort'. The red car is the 'president's car'. Deling should be inside. The last car is the '2nd escort'. Once we get on this one, we begin the operation."

The woman paused. She looked up at the SeeD, giving them the chance to ask her any questions about the layout of the operation. No one spoke; their eyes were fixed on the model. Rinoa carried on.

"Our ultimate goal is to seize the president in his car using our 'base'. That means, we'll have to switch our 'dummy car' with their 'president's car'." Rinoa ran her finger along the tracks until she came to a tiny switch positioned near to where the top and middle tracks merged. "We'll use the two switch points leading up to Timber to carry out this operation." She looked up at the SeeD. "Okay, now I'm going to explain the procedure in seven steps.

"Number one: Sneak onboard the '2nd escort'. We'll get on board the roof of the '2nd escort' by jumping from our 'dummy car'.

"Number two: Proceed cautiously across the roof of the '2nd escort'."

Watts interrupted her. "The '2nd escort' car is the only one that is equipped with sensors, sir."

Rinoa nodded. "A high tech officer is onboard. I'll talk about the sensors later."

She carried on with her explanation. "Number three: Proceed across the roof of the 'president's car'. We can move across the roof of the president's car without worrying too much."

"Deling hates the company of his guards and being surrounded by sensors," Zone told them, "and keeps them away from his car."

Squall crossed his arms and looked at the floor. He knew very little at about the Galbadian president, Vinzer Deling, but he had heard that he was extremely fastidious and volatile towards his subordinates. He recalled one story in the Garden's monthly newsletter where the president had allegedly sacked his bodyguards, for the simple reason of them constantly being 'in the way'. There were other more sinister stories, but Squall did not pay any attention to rumours.

"Number four: Uncouple the '1st escort'," Rinoa continued, drawing Squall's attention back to the model. "We'll have to complete the uncoupling process before the 1st switch point. If we don't…" She let the sentence hang.

"BOOM!" finished Selphie loudly, making everyone jump. "…Game over, right?"

"…Yeah," said Rinoa after a moment's hesitation. "So we'll have to move fast. I'll explain the uncoupling process later."

At this point she paused and turned to the model. She took hold of the top train and moved it along the tracks to the first switch point. She separated the first and second cars of the middle train and then moved their train along to where the tracks joined. The Forest Owls' train followed the tracks and moved onto the central railroad. Their train moved in behind the locomotive, with the 'dummy car' behind the locomotive and the 'base' behind that, creating a single long train.

"Number five: Have the 'dummy car' and our 'base' move in after uncoupling. After the car is uncoupled… We'll have the 'dummy car' and our 'base' move in. At this point, our train and their train will be linked and moving together.

"Number six: Uncouple the '2nd escort'." Rinoa demonstrated this by detaching the last car from the new long train, leaving the 'president's car' attached to the rear of the 'base'. She also detached the 'base' from the rear of the 'dummy car'. "This is the last uncoupling. The process will be similar to the first one."

Everyone watched as she then moved the trains along the tracks to the second switch point, where the rail split off onto the third and final railroad. The first two cars, with the enemy 'locomotive' and the 'dummy car', she moved along the middle track. The middle two, with the 'base' and the 'president's car', she moved along the switched tracks to the lower railroad. The last car she moved along the central track to rejoin with the original train, complete with its new 'dummy car'.

"Number 7: Escape with the 'president's car' and our 'base'." Rinoa released the trains. "If all goes well, we should be able to escape with the 'president's car'. After that, we'll return to our base and prepare to confront Deling. We have exactly five minutes to complete the seven procedures. If we fail, our train will collide with theirs at the switch point and it'll be all over. Don't forget that."

"Five minutes…?" Zell repeated. He sounded sceptical. "You sure that's enough?"

"According to the simulation we ran," said Zone, "it should take only three minutes to complete the operation. Piece of cake for SeeDs, right?"

"Of course!" Selphie said, clenching her fists. "Too easy!"

Despite Selphie's confident attitude, Zell still did not look convinced. The fighter crossed one leg over the other, his face scrunched up in worry.

Squall had to agree with him. Five minutes, or even three, seemed far too short a time to complete an operation of this scale. Timing was critical. Not to mention that the mission by itself carried immense risk and danger. Ignoring the possibility that their train could collide with the Galbadian train if they did not uncouple the cars in time… What these people were planning was to kidnap the president of Galbadia and… what? Force him to sign a declaration of independence for Timber? If they were caught by the army, they would be imprisoned at the very least. Did they realise that?

"Okay," said Rinoa, "now let's talk about how to avoid the sensors on the '2nd escort'." She paused, running her fingers through her hair. She turned. "…Go ahead, Watts."

At this Watts beamed, pleased that he was going to have the chance to contribute to the plans. The young man stood at a stiff attention before relaying his information to the meeting.

"The guards have a 'sound sensor' and a 'temperature sensor', sir," he explained. "Any sound will trigger the 'sound sensor' so move across very quietly, sir! The blue guard is carrying this sensor.

"The 'temperature sensor' will go off if you remain stationary, sir! The guard in red is carrying this one, sir. When a guard opens a blind, that means he is checking the sensor, so be careful! The range on those sensors is equal to the length of one window. So keep an eye on the window below, sir."

Squall folded his arms. Sensors to the length of one window… That was a fairly small scanning range. Slipping by unnoticed shouldn't be a problem. However it would be difficult to move across the top of a moving train and keep an eye on the windows below. In fact it would be almost impossible. The swordsman lowered his head in thought, pondering the problem.

"…So how exactly do you avoid 'em?" Zell asked.

Watts scratched his head. "Umm… Basically, run or stop, depending on which guard is below you."

Squall assimilated this new information. So if a blue guard, who activated the sound sensor, was in the window below, they had to stop moving in order to cease making any sounds. If a red guard appeared, they had to move quickly to avoid their body temperature being picked up by the sensor. Squall closed his eyes and his brow creased. Even on this first step of boarding the train there were so many variables that could lead to them being discovered. They could not afford to take their time, either, as they only had five minutes to complete the operation. Their best bet, Squall figured, was to simply run across the car and hope for the best.

"That's about it for the sensors," said Rinoa, cutting into Squall's thoughts. "Now, let's talk about how to uncouple the cars."

Selphie raised her hand. "Question…! How can you uncouple the cars from a moving train?"

Rinoa hesitated. "Umm… we can't uncouple the cars directly," she admitted. She looked to Zone, who took over.

"Instead, we'll have to tamper with the control system that manages the coupling," he answered. "If we temporarily disable the circuit for the connection, the car will uncouple automatically. To disable it we have to enter several codes."

"…And we have the codes," said Watts. "Rinoa has them, sir!"

Rinoa reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded slip of paper, which contained the codes. "I'll be in charge of relaying the codes to Squall," she said. She put the paper back into her pocket. "Squall, you'll slide down the side of the train using a cable and enter the codes into the system.

"Now, I need you to listen carefully. Each code is made up of numbers between one to four and has four digits: 2341 is an example. You'll have to be quick and precise. You'll have about five seconds to enter each code. Otherwise, the code will change and the past entries will become invalid.

"So like we said, we have to enter all the codes to disable the connection. After we uncouple the cars, we'll wait for the others to operate the rail switch. Remember, we only have five minutes to do everything, so make sure you're prepared. You get it? In the real thing there's a strict time limit leading up to the switch point. Don't forget that." Rinoa folded her arms and tapped her foot. "Umm… that's all," she said.

Squall nodded. It seemed simple enough in theory. The hardest part of the mission would be uncoupling the cars while the train was still moving. He also had to be careful not to get any of the codes wrong. Any errors increased their chances of failing the mission. According to Zone, they had run simulations in preparation for this mission, and it had been doable. He would just have to trust in that.

"By the way…" Selphie leaned over the table as Rinoa put the two train sets back in place. "This model's nice, but the president's care looks kinda shabby… …Why is that?"

Watts smirked and stifled a chuckle behind his hand. "Yeah, Rinoa made it," he said. "That's why. We bought everything else at the gift store."

"Oh…" Zell also leaned over, examining the trains close up. "I thought some kid made it. The paint job sucks, too."

Squall looked down at the car. _…? Yeah…_ he thought. _It kind of does._ The painting on the president's car was chipped in places and ran over the edges onto the other parts of the car. It even had a thumb print along the roof where Rinoa must have held it while painting.

"Oh, shut up!" Rinoa snapped, huffing in annoyance. Her face was bright red. "I made it to look like that on purpose. It represents my hatred towards Deling."

Zell raised an eyebrow. "Hatred, eh…?" he said, somewhat dubious. "Yeah… right."

"It's one of the… ugliest things that I've ever seen in my life," said Selphie, grinning at Rinoa. "You must really hate him."

"…" Squall muttered.

Rinoa's face was turning redder by the second. "Are you guys finished!" she snapped again. "Enough about the model! Can we get on with it now!" Turning her back on the sniggering Zell and Selphie, she faced Squall. "Do you understand?" she asked him, in a somewhat calmer tone.

"Yes," Squall replied.

Rinoa nodded, her anger dissipating as quickly as it had come. She looked around at the SeeD and her two comrades. "Let's decide on the party!"

The moment she spoke, Watts stepped back and gave her an awkward salute. "Gathering information is my specialty, sir!" he said. He then hurried out of the room.

Zone watched him go. Suddenly his face scrunched up in pain and he dropped to his knees, clutching at his gut. "OwwwwcHHHH…" he moaned. "…My stomach!"

Rinoa put her hands on her hips and shook her head. It was then that Squall realised that this was something of a daily occurrence for Rinoa with these two. He was once again starting to have his doubts about this group, but his thoughts were interrupted when the train suddenly began to move again. Rinoa looked up and glanced out of the window. The train had just left Timber and was moving through the Winhill Bluffs at a steady pace.

"We're moving again…" she observed. She turned to the three SeeD. "I'll go take a look. Talk to Watts when you're ready. The sooner the better."

Rinoa then hurried from the Ops Room, leaving the three SeeD alone, aside from Zone. Squall shut the door behind her and then turned to Zell and Selphie.

"What do you think?" asked Zell in a low voice so Zone could not hear.

Squall folded his arms. "I'm note quite sure…" he admitted.

"It seems like it could work," Selphie said. "But… Kidnapping the president?" She shook her head.

"What do you reckon they'll do with him?" Zell asked Squall.

Squall looked down at the floor, lost in thought. It was a very bold move, and not one to be taken lightly. But the Forest Owls had to know what they were doing… right?

"It's none of our concern," he told his comrades. "All we have to do is complete the mission and then head back to Garden. What they do with the president is their own business."

Zell and Selphie nodded their agreement. Squall was right: it was nothing to do with them what the faction was planning. All they had to do was obey orders and complete the mission.

Squall turned away from them. _…But I have a bad feeling about this,_ he thought to himself.

The three SeeD left the Ops Room (and Zone!) and went back out into the corridor. Rinoa was nowhere to be seen, but Watts was outside waiting for them. A hatch had been opened in the roof of the car, and a strong breeze was blowing in from outside. Squall glanced up at it. Had Rinoa gone out onto the roof?

When he saw the three came out of the room Watts turned to them. "Have you seen the dummy of the president, sir?" he asked. "If you haven't, please take a look-see! It's like a piece of art! I know the kidnapping plan must be tough, but best of luck to you, sir! Are you ready, sir!"

Squall looked behind him. Zell and Selphie nodded. They were ready. Squall turned back to Watts. "Yes," he replied.

Watts smiled and stepped away from the door. There was a ladder behind him, a ladder that went up to the roof of the car. Watts signalled for them to go on up.

Squall stepped up to the ladder and paused. Once they climbed up this ladder, their mission would begin. There would be no turning back, not until the very end.

Squall placed his foot on the ladder and began to climb.


	18. Part 02: Chapter 16

_**A Note from the Authoress**_

Just a note to say I made some amendments to the ending of Chapter 15. I included an original scene and totally forgot that Zone was still in the room at the time, so I've made a few slight amendments to reflect that change.

* * *

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Sixteen**

"Squall, over here!"

Squall turned in the direction of the voice. At the other end of the dummy car Rinoa was waiting for them. The wind was whipping around her, sending the trail of her duster whipping around her ankles as she crouched against the roof of the car. She waved, signalling for them to join her. Squall, Zell and Selphie kept their bodies low as they ran across the car to join her. The wind blew fierce around them, trying to blow them back.

The Forest Owls' train was speeding through the Winhill Bluffs, heading in the direction of Timber. As they had climbed the ladder to the car's exterior Watts had informed them that the president's train was already ahead of them, and they had to hurry if they wanted to capture him before it arrived at the city.

Originally the plan had been to capture the president on his way out of Timber. However, when Rinoa had returned to the faction with the news that SeeD would be coming that very morning the Forest Owls had decided to alter their plan and capture the president _before_ he could even reach the city.

As Squall and the others caught up to Rinoa they crouched down beside her and looked ahead. The Galbadian train was just ahead of them on the neighbouring tracks, and they were catching up fast. As the wind whipped through his hair, Squall couldn't help but think that this was all happening a bit too… fast. They had barely been in Timber for more than half an hour, and their mission was already underway. If everything went as planned, they would be back in Garden just after midday.

"We'll catch up with the 2nd escort soon," Rinoa told them. She turned around to face the front of the train. "Let's get ready," she continued. "We should time our jumps well after we catch up to them to save time."

The dummy car was very close to the rear of the 2nd escort. The locomotive's engine rumbled as it sped up, bringing the dummy car alongside the 2nd escort car. Rinoa glanced over her shoulder. "From now on we have exactly…" The train gave a jolt. "…Five minutes to complete the operation. Let's try to use every second."

The three SeeD nodded. Rinoa rose to her feet. The wind blew furiously around her, sending her fair flying about her face, but she kept her balance and inched forward to the edge of the car. She then leapt off the dummy car and landed on the roof of the 2nd escort. The three SeeD held their breaths as she dropped to her knees and clung to the bars laid out across the roof. Rinoa held on tight and regained her balance. She then turned and waved at them, signalling them to follow her.

Squall turned to his comrades and motioned for them to go first. Zell and Selphie crawled past him and then jumped from the car. They landed behind Rinoa, doing as she did and holding onto the bars to keep from falling off. They then followed the young woman as she made her way across the car, all the while keeping her eyes on the windows below.

The locomotive's engine gave a loud _whir_ and began to slow down, pulling back. Squall quickly got to his feet, judged the distance between himself and the next car, and then jumped. For a moment all he could hear was the wind, and then he landed on the roof of the Galbadian train. His sword's tip caught on the rails and he staggered forward, clutching at the rails to keep from falling off. He tugged on the gunblade, pulling it free. He shifted his balance, securing himself on the roof. The Forest Owls' train fell back, returning to a safe distance.

"Squall, over here!"

The swordsman looked up. Rinoa, Zell and Selphie were gathered at the other end of the car, waiting for him.

Remembering Watts's warning about the sound and temperature sensors, Squall made a quick glance down the side of the car. All the blinds of the car were shut, but he could just make out moving shadows inside. Squall released the bars and then hurried across the roof of the car.

As he moved he spared another glance down the side of the car. Two of the blinds opened as he passed, and he saw the blue and red uniformed soldiers mentioned in the briefing. Both soldiers peered out before activating their sensors, but Squall had already passed them by. He reached the end of the train and crouched down beside his comrades.

"This is the president's car," Rinoa was saying to Zell and Selphie as he approached. "After we get across, we'll proceed with the first uncoupling." Without hesitation Rinoa then turned and jumped over the gap between the 2nd escort and the next car. The three SeeD followed suit, their boots clanging on the rooftop as they ran across the car in which the president of Galbadia resided.

* * *

Inside the train, a Galbadian soldier from the 1st escort approached the president's private car and knocked on the door. When he received no response, the soldier quietly opened the door and slipped inside, shutting the door behind him.

The interior of the president's car was large and comfortable, much unlike the cramped soldiers' quarters in the rest of the train. President Deling was sitting at a table on the left-hand side of the room, his hands folded in his lap. There were no blinds open in the room, and the president had no books or papers or even a cup of tea. He sat in complete silence, his eyes closed as though in thought.

The Galbadian soldier stopped close to the table, careful not to get too close to the president. He saluted. "Sir, everything is in order, sir!" he reported.

Vinzer Deling opened his eyes. His lips turned downwards into a scowl. Without turning his head, he said: "You again… That's twenty-seven times now. How many more times do you plan to disturb me with that meaningless report?"

His words carried no hint of malice in them, but each one hit the Galbadian soldier like a bullet. The soldier stiffened. "Sir, I'm sorry, sir," he said hesitantly, saluting once more. "…But it is my duty, sir!"

President Deling let out a deep sigh. "…It's hard to believe that anyone would put up with this nonsense," he grumbled, his lips pursing. The creases of annoyance that had formed on his brow then eased, and he closed his eyes again. "I guess it's none of my business. Dismissed."

"…! Sir, yes, sir!"

The president reclined in his chair and lowered his head, no longer paying any attention to the soldier. The soldier, in turn, lowered his arm and turned away from the president. He moved quietly towards the door. When he reached the door he stopped and looked down at the floor. He shook his head.

_There goes another paycheque,_ he thought to himself. _How am I gonna propose to her now? I'm gonna have to put it off again…_ The soldier gave a heavy sigh and shuffled miserably out of the car.

The president, now alone, raised his head. Raising a hand, he parted the blinds covering the windows and looked outside. The flat plains of the Winhill Bluffs continued to roll by as the train made its way towards Timber. The president shifted in his seat, his back becoming stiff. He looked out at the green grass, the blue waters of the lake, and the clear blue of the sky. It was all so…

_Disgusting._

_

* * *

_

"This is the 1st escort," said Rinoa. "We're gonna uncouple this first."

The young resistance member and the three SeeD were all gathered at the rear end of the 1st escort car. The Forest Owls train had pulled away from the Galbadian train and was now moving at a steady pace a little way behind it, keeping a safe distance but remaining close enough for it to move in the moment it reached the switch point. Provided they uncoupled it on time. But they did not want to think about that.

Rinoa shifted her position and brushed her hair away from her face as it was blown about by the wind. "Like Watts said, there should be two guards on this car." She turned to Zell and Selphie, who were kneeling behind her. "Selphie and Zell, you guys keep an eye on the guards. Let us know early if you see them coming."

Zell nodded. "Alright," he said. "I'll watch the blue guard." The fighter then turned and began to run across the car.

"I'll take red," Selphie said, and went after him.

The two SeeD made their way across the car. The wind blowing around the car meant they had to be quick but careful; else they would be blown off the roof of the train. When they reached the centre they stopped. Glancing down the side, they saw the shadows of the two soldiers through the windows as they stood guard inside.

Rinoa was also watching the windows. "The red guard is closer," she observed. "Squall, you might want to keep an eye on him, too." She turned back. "Okay, are you ready to enter the codes? You remember everything, right?"

"Yeah," Squall replied. He was ready.

Rinoa nodded. "We'll have to enter three codes to disable the circuit for this uncoupling," she explained. Reaching into the pocket of her shorts, she pulled out the paper with the codes written on. She glanced at it, committing the codes to memory, before putting the paper safely back into her pocket. "Okay, Squall," she said. "Get the cable ready."

The cable she was referring to was found folded underneath a hatch in the car's roof. There was no lock to it and opened easily. Squall pulled out a small potion of the cable and wrapped a few lengths around his wrist before securing the handle in his hand. He did not want to risk losing his grip and falling onto the tracks.

"The system to enter the codes is down there," said Rinoa, pointing down to the bottom. Squall followed her finger. The ground was zipping by, almost a blur, as the train rushed along the tracks. "You can't miss it. You won't be able to come back up while you're entering the codes," she warned him, "so be careful." The woman then looked down at her watch, and then back to Squall. "Okay, let's do it. We have four minutes left! Good luck, Squall!"

Without a moment's pause Squall, cable in hand, leapt off the roof. His boots slammed against the door and Rinoa flinched, her eyes darting to the silhouettes of the two soldiers. Neither had moved. Rinoa breathed a sigh of relief and turned her gaze back to Squall.

Squall continued to slide down the car, taking careful steps down the door. When the cable reached as far as it could go it snapped tight. Squall stopped descending at the foot of the door. He positioned his feet on either side of the doorway and looked around for the console.

As Rinoa had said, the coupling control was impossible to miss. The system was built as part of the door and remained in plain sight at all times in case of emergencies. Squall pulled open the panel to reveal the inputting system. The Forest Owls' information was spot on. The console did indeed have only four buttons with four lights above them. The lights were currently dark.

"The code is 4243!" Rinoa called down to him. The wind muffled her voice somewhat, but Squall could just make out what said.

He input the first code. Remembering that he had only five seconds to put in each code, he pressed the buttons as fast as he could. When he finished putting it in, the console beeped and the first of the four lights flashed green. Taking that as a sign that he had put in the code correctly Squall waved a hand up at Rinoa, signalling that he was ready for the next code.

Seeing his signal, Rinoa shouted down the next code. "The code is 4312!"

Squall typed in the second code. The console beeped and the second light flicked on. He started to raise his hand, ready for the final code.

"Yo, the blue!" It was Zell's voice.

"And red!" That came from Selphie.

Rinoa's head snapped around. She looked down the side of the car. The silhouettes were moving, coming their way. Rinoa turned to call for Squall to come back up, but the swordsman was already moving. He tugged on the cable and it went shooting back up the side of the car, carrying Squall with it. When he neared the top Rinoa reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him onto the roof.

The two soldiers, the red and the blue, entered the doorway. Rinoa froze and held her breath. The two soldiers peered out of the window, checked that the area was clear, and then headed back inside.

Rinoa breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to Squall but he was no longer there. The swordsman had leapt from the roof of the car the second the soldiers had left and was already repositioning himself in front of the console, ready to enter the final code. He waved, signalling that he was ready.

_Well, well,_ Rinoa thought, impressed. _He doesn't waste any time._ "The code is 3131!" she said.

Squall put in the third and final code. The third light blinked on. All lights, including the fourth, flashed and turned blue. A low hum rumbled throughout the car.

Feeling the hum, Rinoa stood up and signalled to Zell and Selphie. The two jumped up and hurried across the car back to her. "Squall, this way!" she called, and jumped over the gap to the president's car.

Squall pulled on the cable. It made a loud _whir_ as it went flying up the side of the car, carrying Squall up along with it. Zell and Selphie ran past just as Squall reached the top. He unwound the cable from his wrist and then jumped the gap to the president's car, just as the cars began to uncouple.

The metal connectors detached and the two cars separated. The front half of the train continued to move along the tracks. Without the locomotive pulling it forward the president's car and 2nd escort started to fall behind, creating a sizable gap between the two cars as the trains hurtled towards the first switch point.

A few members of the Forest Owls were waiting in an outpost close to the first switch point. When they saw the two trains approaching they threw the switch. The tracks on which the Forest owls train was moving switched over to join the neighbouring tracks. Now the two tracks merged into one and the faction members pressed themselves against the windows, watching the events unfold.

The Forest Owls locomotive picked up speed and powered its way along the tracks towards the switch point. The Galbadian locomotive with the first escort car passed by first, seemingly unaware that it had lost its rear two cars. When it passed the switch point the other locomotive surged forward and rushed down the tracks. It shuddered as it moved over the spot where the two tracks joined, and the locomotive and the dummy car lumbered onto the tracks.

The president's car and the 2nd escort were still moving, but beginning to slow down. The Forest Owls' locomotive slowed, drawing back just a little. The president's car touched the back of the locomotive, and the two cars coupled automatically. The locomotive then increased in speed, pushing the dummy car and its two new cars along until they reached the other half of the Galbadian train. When the dummy car touched the 1st escort they coupled automatically, and the two trains became one.

* * *

The Galbadian soldier from the 1st escort checked his watch and sighed. It had not even been a minute since he had left the president's car after giving his report. Unluckily for the soldier, his commanding officer was a bad-tempered sergeant who liked to make sure that his subordinates were always driven off their feet, and had ordered him to make _another_ report to the president. Perhaps he just enjoyed seeing his subordinates squirm.

As the soldier headed towards the end of the car, the train gave a slight, gentle shudder. The soldier barely felt it, and put it down as the natural rumble of the train as it moved along the tracks. He opened the car door and then knocked on the door of the president's car. He opened it and quietly slipped inside.

The president was sitting in his chair, just as he was doing before. Except there was one major difference with this President Deling: it was _not_ the president.

The car the soldier had entered was actually the dummy car, the one created by the Forest Owls' to resemble the president's car. The interior was identical in every way to the real president's car, down to the shape of the windows and the make of table. The Forest Owls' had done their research and had put in every effort to make sure it was indistinguishable from the real thing.

The figure sitting at the table was not the real president but actually a dummy created by the technicians of the Forest Owls. From a distance the dummy could easily be mistaken for the real Galbadian president, however up close the differences were very noticeable. To make up for this the technicians had provided for the dummy a large newspaper to help mask its face from view. They had also put in place one other security measure to keep the dummy from being discovered.

The Galbadian soldier entered the car and shut the door behind him. He walked up to the president and stopped a few feet behind him. He hesitated.

_What should I do…?_ he asked himself. _I know he's not gonna like it. But it's my job._

Swallowing his fears, the soldier straightened himself up and saluted. "S-Sir…" he stuttered. "…Everything is in order, sir!" He flinched, bracing himself for the riposte.

Except that it did not come. Before him, the president remained silent. The soldier relaxed, sighing in relief. _Huh… …He's not angry. Phew. That's strange. _He looked again at the president. _Oh, he's reading the paper. I wonder where he got it?_ The soldier crossed his arms, puzzled.

While the soldier was thinking this over the door to the 1st escort opened and his commanding officer stormed into the cabin. Angered already by the slow and inefficient manner in which his subordinate performed his duties, his anger was increased further when he saw the soldier loitering about in the president's car.

"What!" he demanded, making the soldier jump. "Is there a problem?" He stalked forward, past the soldier and up to the dummy of the president.

It was at this point that the Forest Owls' second security measure came into play. Knowing that there was a chance that someone would try and come too close to the dummy, the technicians had thought up an ingenious solution. A sensor, placed in the dummy's head, was connected to a small voice box. When the sergeant came near the sensor activated and an imitation of the president's voice spoke. It was almost indistinguishable from the real thing, and its message left no room for error.

"I'm in a bad mood right now! If there is nothing in particular, I order you to leave immediately!"

The words had their desired effect on the Galbadian sergeant. He stiffened and stepped back. "S-S-Sir, aye-aye… YESSIR!" The officer looked about and then spun round to face his subordinate, who was still in the car. "You!" he snapped in a loud voice. "Don't just stand there! Go back to your station!"

"S-sir, yessir!" The soldier saluted. He was glad that his visor hid the despondent look on his face at this second reprimand._ There goes another paycheque…_ he thought. _That's two in one day._

Satisfied that his authority had been restored, the sergeant relaxed. Before returning to his own post, he thought to check on the soldiers on the 2nd escort. He ran across the cabin to the opposite door, moving quietly so as not to draw the president's attention for a second time. He went through the door but came back almost immediately.

"W-W-What the HECK!" he said. "Is this the right train?" He looked around the inside of the cabin. _The interior looks different,_ he thought. _Looks shabbier._ He looked around again. _Maybe not,_ he concluded. Then, remembering the president's order, he ran past the soldier and back into the 1st escort.

The Galbadian soldier, meanwhile, lowered his arm. He turned towards the door and shuffled slowly towards it, his head low. _What am I gonna do?_ he thought miserably. _No ring, and now no more candlelit dinner. I'm never gonna be able to get married._ He left the car, and the Forest Owls' mission remained undiscovered.

* * *

Rinoa caught up to Squall at the front of the 2nd escort. Zell and Selphie, after talking briefly with her, were heading the other way to the front of the locomotive. When Rinoa reached Squall she sat down, gripping the bars for support.

"This is the 2nd escort," she said to him. "After this, we're home free." The young woman looked down at the car, her eyes moving over the windows. "I think there are two guards on this car, too," she continued, recalling Watts' instructions from their briefing. "Zell and Selphie are up ahead, working on uncoupling our train from theirs. So you're on your own this time. Watch your right side. Let's get this over with. You know how to enter the codes, right?"

"Yes," Squall answered.

Rinoa nodded and pulled out the slip of paper from her pocket. "We'll have to enter five codes to disable the circuit for this connection," she informed him.

As she spoke, Squall opened the panel and pulled out the cable. He wrapped the cable around his wrist like before, ready to descend. He was familiar with the workings of the coupling system now, and knew what to expect. It was going to be harder without Zell and Selphie on hand to watch the guards, but there was nothing he could do. He would just have to watch for them both.

"Are you ready, Squall?" Rinoa asked him, disrupting his thoughts. She checked her watch, counting down the time. "We have three minutes left! Good luck, Squall!"

Squall crawled to the edge of the car and looked down the side. The blinds were all shut, but he could clearly see the silhouettes of the soldiers standing guard inside. Squall gripped the cable handle and then leapt off the car.

He slid down the side of the train. When the cable reached its end it snapped tight, just like it did before. Squall twisted his body round to face the door and hung in front of the coupling system. He positioned his feet like before on and opened the system panel. As he expected there were the same four buttons, but six lights. Squall raised a hand and waved to Rinoa.

"The code is 2212!" Rinoa called down.

Squall typed in the first code. While he did so, Rinoa cast her eyes down the car. The silhouettes had not moved, but they could do at any moment. In the corner of her eye she saw Squall wave, ready for the next code. She turned her attention back to the paper in her hands. The rushing wind whipped the sheet back and forth in her hand and she tightened her grip, not wanting to lose it now.

"The code is 2232!" she shouted. She waited patiently until Squall waved again. "The code is 321—Squall!"

Squall had seen it, too. His hand stopped just before he started put in the first digits of the third code. One of the silhouettes was moving, heading down the car towards him. Leaving the panel open, Squall kicked his feet away from the door. He tugged the cable and it wound back up to the car roof, carrying him with it. He accepted Rinoa's hand as she helped him over the edge. They crouched down, keeping a careful eye on the door.

The soldier entered the doorway. They could see him clearly through the window, even at their angle. It was a red soldier, one of the Galbadian officers. When she saw him Rinoa's heart leaped as she suddenly remembered what Watts had said during their briefing. The soldiers in red on the 2nd escort carried temperature sensors—should they run?

By the time she realised this, of course, it was too late to run. The soldier was directly beneath them, peering out of the glass. He looked back and forth, the sunlight reflecting off the three lights of his visor. Rinoa held her breath.

For whatever reason, the soldier did not activate his sensor. He just looked around, made sure the outside was clear, and then disappeared back inside the car.

Rinoa breathed a sigh of relief. Squall leaned over the edge, ready to jump down again. Before he could do so, Rinoa grasped his arm. He turned his head. "The code is 3214!" she told him.

Squall nodded and jumped off the train. As he fell he looked to the right. The red soldier was heading back to his original place. The blue soldier, meanwhile, still had not moved. If they were lucky, it would stay that way.

The cable snapped tight. Squall repositioned himself in front of the panel and put in the third code. The third light flicked on. That was three… just two more to go.

"The code is 2124!" he heard Rinoa shout overhead. The fourth light came on. "The code is 2412!"

That was the last one. Squall input the final code and the fifth light came on. All of the lights, including the sixth one, flashed and turned blue. The process was complete. As with the 1st escort, the car began to hum.

Rinoa rose to her feet. That was it. They were almost done. "This way, Squall!" The young woman then hurried from the car and onto the president's car.

A final tug on the cable sent Squall flying back up to the roof of the car. He unwound the cable from his hand and as soon as his arm was free he dashed over to join Rinoa on the neighbouring car.

The metal connectors holding the two cars together detached and the 2nd escort started to pull back away from the president's car. Further down Zell and Selphie completed their task and the hook-connector attaching the Forest Owls' base car to the dummy car lifted up. Now the two trains were separate and moving down the tracks to the second and final switch point.

The Galbadian locomotive steamed ahead. Behind it the Forest Owls' base moved at the same speed, keeping at a safe distance but careful not to get too close in case they accidentally re-coupled.

The Galbadian train passed the switch point. The moment it passed the tracks switched over, moving the tracks onto the third railroad, the one that ran along the other side. It was down this track that the Forest Owls' locomotive veered, moving off the main track and away from the Galbadian train with the president's car in tow.

Once the two trains had passed the tracks switched back over. The 2nd escort, carried forward by the speed it had gained from the two locomotives, kept moving forward. It reached the back of the dummy car. They coupled upon contact, and the newly reformed train sped on across the countryside, heading towards Timber.

The Forest Owls base, complete with its new cargo, drove away from Timber and headed out into the countryside. Rinoa, along with Squall and the others, headed back to the locomotive. Rinoa stood guard as Squall and the others climbed down the ladder.

When they were all inside Rinoa stood up, looked at the president's car and smiled. Very soon now they would confront the Galbadian president and bring independence to Timber at last. She clenched her fist. Then she climbed down the ladder and went back into the train.


	19. Part 02: Chapter 17

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Seventeen**

"Finally…" said Zone. "We've waited so long for this encounter with Vinzer."

The three members of the Forest Owls—Zone, Watts and Rinoa—along with the three SeeD, were gathered in the corridor outside of the briefing room. Zone's face was glowing in delight and even Watts was having a hard time keeping himself under control, but who could blame them? After all, the mission was a success: they had the president's car in tow, and the president of Galbadia was waiting inside, unaware that anything had happened.

"Was that perfect, sir? Amazing, sir! You're the best, sir!"

Squall accepted Watts' praise with a nonchalant wave of his hand. It was not necessary for Watts to be giving them praise. After all, they were SeeD. It was their duty to perform the mission to the best of their ability.

Only Rinoa did not seem elated. She realised, as Squall did, that the mission was not complete just yet. They still had the matter of confronting President Deling. The young woman coughed and placed her hands on her hips. "Well, then…" she began.

Watts interrupted her. "Leave the intelligence up to me, sir!" he said, and turned away from her. He pulled out a notebook and began to read through it.

Zone started to speak. Then he groaned and clutched at his stomach as it cramped painfully. He turned away from the group and dropped to his knees, his face scrunched up in pain. "OwOwOuccchhh!" he moaned. Still clutching his stomach, he rose to his feet. He opened the door to the briefing room and ran inside.

With both young men seemingly unable to proceed, Rinoa put her hands on her hips and shook her head. She had expected as much. The woman sighed and then looked up at Squall and the others. "You three!" she said. "Tell me when you're ready to go. As soon as you're ready, I'll begin 'serious negotiations' with the president!"

Squall crossed his arms. Something about her tone made him feel a little uneasy. _'Serious negotiations'…_ he thought. _Better make sure my GF's equipped…_

He closed his eyes. After a moment he felt the faint presence of his GF with whom he had made spiritual pacts with—Quezacotl, Shiva, Ifrit, and Siren, drawn from the monster Elvoret—resonating inside his mind. The GF were present and ready to answer. That was good… He had a feeling he might need them.

His thoughts were also drawn, for a second or two, to the magical lamp given to him by the headmaster. His hand strayed to his pocket where the lamp rested. He must find out what the lamp did, but now was not the time.

"…Ready?" Rinoa asked.

Squall looked around to Zell and Selphie. Selphie nodded and Zell slammed his fists together, his eyes bright in anticipation. He turned back to Rinoa. "Yeah," he replied.

Rinoa nodded. She then straightened out her clothes and hair before walking past Squall to the door. She opened it and went to the door of the president's car. She started to knock but then paused, pressed her lips together and then walked inside. Squall and the others walked in after her, closing the door behind them.

President Deling was sitting in his chair. The president seemed calm and silent, his arms folded neatly in his lap, as though unaware of anything that was going on. Rinoa walked over to him with a confident stride and stopped next to his seat. After taking a moment to gather herself, Rinoa raised her head and confronted him.

"…President Deling!" Her hands trembled as she spoke, but she tried to keep the nervous tremor from her voice. "As long as you… don't resist, you won't get hurt…"

The president opened his eyes. He raised his head. "And if I do resist…" he asked, in a slow and careful voice. "What would you do…? Young lady?" He turned his head and looked at her.

As his eyes locked with hers, Rinoa felt an icy chill shoot down her spine. Those eyes…! The president's eyes were cold and empty; the pupil's bloodshot and tinged with black. His skin was pale and limp, as though it did not quite belong on the body it was covering.

Rinoa, frozen, could not tear her eyes away. "!" she exclaimed, and stepped back. Was this really the president of Galbadia?

Seeing Rinoa's reaction, Squall took a step towards her. "What's wrong?" he asked. Rinoa, in response to his question, just shook her head. Squall looked over at the president. The bad feeling he had earlier was growing stronger by the second.

Rinoa took another step backwards as the president unfolded his arms and placed his palms on the table. He pushed himself to his feet. His bones made a squishing sound as they moved, his body unfolded in a strange manner, almost as though the bones weren't properly connected.

"Boo-hoo… Too bad…" the stranger said. "I'm not the president. I'm what they call… a body double."

The fake president stepped away from the table. His movements were sluggish as though it was unnatural for him, and his left leg dragged behind him. When he turned to Rinoa, Squall caught sight of his face. He also stepped back, alarmed by what he saw.

The body double walked up to Rinoa. The young woman, unable to look into those cold and empty eyes any longer, turned her gaze to the floor. Reaching out, the fake president hooked a finger under her chin and forced her head up to look at him.

"All these rumours about the many resistance groups in Timber…" he said. "You pass on a little false information and they fall for it…" The fake president lifted Rinoa's chin up further. Rinoa shook her head and pulled away from him, her body trembling at his chilling touch. "How pathetic… Seems like there are only amateurs around here."

At this Rinoa responded. "Ama…teurs…!" she repeated, her dark eyes wide.

The fake president leered at her. He chuckled. Then, suddenly, he gave an agonised cry and keeled over. Rinoa, in alarm, stepped back until she hit the wall. Before her the fake president began to tremble, his body twitching, as though he was overcome with rage or in the beginnings of a frightful fit.

Raising his shaking head, the president glared up at Rinoa. His face twisted into a horrible sneer, and his bloodshot eyes were filled with malice. The fake's body had begun to sweat and saliva began to dribble out of the corners of his mouth.

"Ahh…" the fake groaned. His head dropped again, and a trickle of saliva dripped onto the floor. "My butt hurts from all this sitting… Young… LADY…"

At that last word his voice changed into a high-pitched rasp. That voice, eerie and ghastly, definitely did _not_ belong to the fake president. Squall felt a chill run down his spine. He recalled the bad feeling he'd had before this mission had started. It was back now and in force. Squall reached for his gunblade.

"Ahh…" The fake president took another sluggish step towards Rinoa. His jaw twitched, and another long sliver of saliva dripped from his mouth. "So what did you have in stoRe for me if I had resiSTED…?" he asked. "Why doN'T you teLL mE…"

Rinoa could not reply. She pressed herself against the wall, wishing she could just disappear into it. The double took yet another step towards her. A rancid stench rose from his body. He raised his arms and flung them downwards, narrowly missing her. Rinoa's legs buckled and she dropped to the ground, overcome by fear of this strange creature that had posed as the Galbadian president.

"QuiTE aMUsing thouGH…" the body double continued, as Selphie also sank to the floor and cowered, pressing her hands over her head. "For beINg such amAtEurs…!" He grinned then, and Squall saw that his mouth was filled with rows of razor sharp teeth. "HoW daRE YOU InSUlt tHe presIDent!"

Rinoa flinched at the harsh words. She wanted to stand up, but her terrified body refused to move. Instead she sat on the floor, her body trembling. As the truth of the situation finally dawned on her, her eyes widened.

President Deling had known all along that one of the resistance groups in Timber would make a move for the city's independence, and so he had sent this… _creature_… to stand in his place. It had all been a trap. Not just to trick them, but to dispose of them as well. It had all been an elaborate ruse to set an example to the rest of the city's populace. And they had walked right into it, never suspecting a thing.

The body double grabbed her shoulders and yanked her onto her feet. Rinoa cringed at the touch, for his hands were cold. "YOu… FEll… FOr… iT!" he said with a sneer, and then he opened his mouth wide. Black liquid dripped from between his teeth. He started to lean over.

Squall had seen enough. When the fake president started to lean over Rinoa he ran towards them and slammed his body into the fake, shoving him away from her. The fake president staggered back in surprise, and while he was off-balance Squall spun around, drew his gunblade and slashed the blade's edge across the fake's chest.

There was a _rip_ was the blade sliced through the fake president's suit and raked across the flesh of his torso. But instead of blood oozing out of the wound, a spray of black liquid spurted out. It carried the heavy scent of rot and left sticky black traces on the edge of the gunblade. When Squall saw this he narrowed his eyes, his suspicions about this 'body double' growing by the second. Blood was not black or sticky, nor did it spray out of the body like that. The fake president did not even seem to be in pain.

Without wasting time thinking it over, Squall drew back his gunblade and slashed it across the fake's torso again. More of the black liquid sprayed out of the wound. Before the double could recover Squall moved in close and struck him a sharp blow on the jaw with his palm, thrusting the double's head back so far he heard the spinal bones crunch in protest.

Squall then grabbed the fake president by the shoulder and pulled him forward. At the same time he raised his knee and delivered a devastating blow to his stomach. The president did not so much as groan, and so Squall shoved him away.

The fake president staggered backwards until he reached the back wall of the car and slumped against it. His head tilted to one side and there was a wide and unnatural grin on his face. His body quivered as he began to laugh, not even winded by the attack.

"aMusINg…" he said and his face creased with laughter. "tHIs iS AmuSinG!"

Squall paused and lowered his sword. He watched the fake president as he laughed, almost hysterically. There was something seriously wrong with this man—something very unnatural, almost… inhuman. Squall's hands tightened around the gunblade's hilt. Could it be that this man was not in fact human? Squall's mind worked quickly, his eyes never moving from the laughing figure in front of him.

The fake president pushed himself away from the wall and started to walk towards them. He leaned heavily on his left-hand side and his shoulders hunched over, but that laughing smile was still on his face.

The fake swung a fist at Squall, who jumped back out of the way. Zell and Selphie ran past him and surrounded the fake. Selphie tried to strike him with her Flail but the fake president dodged it with unnatural ease, bending his body out of the way.

Zell came at the fake president from behind. Raising his leg, he kicked the fake in the middle of his back. As the fake staggered forward Selphie swung her weapon again, this time the sticks charged with electricity particles, and struck him a blow in the forehead. Flung back by the shock, the fake staggered back towards Zell. The fight grabbed hold of his shoulders and spun him around to face him. He delivered three swift punches to the gobsmacked fake's face.

At the third punch the fake president broke free of his grasp. He wobbled backwards but remained standing, his face split by that malicious grin. Zell stared. It was impossible. Even after all those blows—and Zell had packed quite a bit of strength into them—the man was still able to stand with hardly a problem. He watched as the fake president dodged yet another blow from Selphie, his senses not dulled in the least. He shoved the young SeeD away from him, and Selphie crashed into the table.

"Zell, get back!" called Squall.

Zell did as he was told without hesitation and pressed himself against the car wall. A fireball flew past him and hit the fake full on. A further three fireballs followed, cast by Squall and driving the fake president back again. The air became hot, and the car was filled with the scent of smoke and burning flesh.

"What are you doing!" Rinoa demanded of Squall. She was still kneeling on the floor behind him. "You'll set the whole car ablaze!"

Squall did not reply. He simply drew his hand towards him and closed his fingers into a fist. The flames stilled and went out, quenched at his command without a word. Seeing this, Rinoa shut her mouth, sullen. Of course, she had almost forgotten. These three were SeeD, specialists in all forms of battle. Command and control of para-magic was nothing new to them. This was why she had hired SeeD, after all.

When all the flames were put out, the smoke started to clear. Selphie coughed and climbed to her feet, reaching out over the president's table to open a window and clear the smoke. Zell walked forward towards the fake president's charred remains.

At least, that was what he expected to find. But as the smoke was drawn towards the windows he saw to his horror that the fake president was still there, and he was _still alive._

His skin was blackened, burned almost to a crisp. The thick stench of burnt flesh hung around him. His clothes were barely recognisable anymore, simply burnt, charred remains. The fake's face was black, but his eyes were still wide and piercing… and he still had that smile.

Zell's eyes widened as he started to realise what Squall had already: that there was something not quite right with this body double. He started to back away.

The fake president, meanwhile, pushed his body away from the wall and began to walk at a leisurely pace towards the three SeeD.

Suddenly, he stopped. His body started to twitch. Then the fake president grunted and keeled over. His hands clutched at his stomach as he started to retch, vomiting thick, black ooze onto the floor. The foul stench of rot drifted through the train car, making Selphie gag. She clamped her hand over her mouth and turned away.

When he was done vomiting, the fake president straightened himself up. His body was still twitching he stood his eyes rolled back into his head until only the whites were visible. The twitching became worse until his whole body was shaking in a vigorous manner, grasped by an uncontrollable fit. Steam started to rise around his feet. It was though his body was burning up where he stood.

Sensing that things were about to get much worse, Squall's eyes narrowed. He looked back at Rinoa. "Leave this to us," he said. "You get out of here."

Rinoa stood up. "What about you?" she asked him.

"We're SeeD," Squall replied simply.

Rinoa looked past him. The steam rising around the fake president was growing thicker, pouring out from under his ripped and burnt clothing. His pants became damp and black liquid oozed from underneath, forming a puddle around his feet. Though she longed to stay and help them fight, she was unarmed and knew that Squall was right. "Okay," she said with a nod, and then fled from the car, shutting the door behind her.

Once she was out of the car, Squall stepped forward to rejoin Zell and Selphie. The three stood together, weapons (and fists) raised, ready for whatever happened next.

During his discourse with Rinoa, the shaking that had taken hold of the fake president had grown intense. His body writhed back and forth in an uncontrollable manner. His flesh, already damaged from the flames, began to tear itself apart with each tortured movement.

At his feet, the pool of ooze that had formed there started to bubble. Black steam began to rise as it started to boil over, splashing over the fake's shoes. The fake president then started to sink _into_ the black liquid, as though his body was melting from the intense heat. Within seconds he had sank to his knees and was sinking further, his body shaking all the while. Eventually the steam grew so thick they could no longer see his face. The last they saw of him was when the steam cleared for a brief moment, just before his head sank into the muck. Then he was gone.

A temporary silence fell in the car, but Squall, Zell and Selphie did not lower their weapons. They all knew by now that it was not the end of the battle just yet.

And they were right. A few moments after the fake president disappeared into the muck, the black pool started to bubble again. It swelled, rising and falling in uneven ripples, growing larger with each passing second.

The black pool then burst apart and four beams of orange-coloured light erupted into the air. The light was painfully bright, and the three SeeDs raised their arms to shield their eyes from its intensity.

In the centre of the pool, amidst the light, a new being began to emerge. The orange glow of the beams fell upon it, casting a ghastly hue on a body that was pallid and lifeless. The black ooze from the pool stretched and dribbled across its monstrous form, dripped off long hair that was thin like straw.

Squall's eyes widened. "What the…?"

The swordsman gripped his sword, his suspicions confirmed. The fake president was indeed a monster. Captured and tamed by the Galbadian army, its body had been magically altered to resemble that of the president. Its purpose: to lure one of the Timber resistance factions into reckless action, and then deal with them to set as an example to all the other factions in the city. With the trap sprung the monster had shed its disguise, revealing its true monstrous form.

The monster was known as Gerogero. It was a nightmarish creature that was vaguely humanlike in appearance, but there was little 'human' about its nature. It had grey and mottled skin that was tinged with black patches of rotting flesh, stretched tight over an elongated skeleton. Horrible deformities had left its left leg and arm bloated and misshapen, swathed in rotting folds of flesh.

Its head was large and skeletal, with a hanging jaw that was filled with sharp teeth. Saliva trickled out of its open mouth and dribbled down its jaw. When the saliva trail reached its chin it dripped off and landed in the black pool with a hiss. The monster also had no eyes, only hollow sockets where the eyes should have been. Tiny pinpricks of light, deep in the sockets, were the only signs of life.

Most sickening of all was that its stomach had been ripped open. Its stomach bag, along with what Squall assumed to be its intestines, had been forced out of its body and merged with its deformed left arm. Another arm poked out of the gap where its stomach had been, waving back and forth with a mind of its own.

The Gerogero roared and shuffled forward on its good leg, dragging its deformed one behind it. Its movements were slow and difficult, and it almost lurched over in the confined space of the car.

"What IS that?" asked Zell.

Squall narrowed his eyes. "It's an undead," he replied, recalling the lesson Instructor Trepe gave on the monsters a few weeks before their exam. "Whatever you do, don't let it bite you!"

Selphie swung her Flails and snapped it tight. "No biting. Got it."

The Gerogero opened its mouth wide and lumbered forward, moving surprisingly quickly despite its deformities. The three SeeDs raised their weapons and charged in for the attack.

The Gerogero raised its swollen arm and swung it at Zell. Although Zell had seen the attack coming and had raised his arms in defence, the strength in that arm was unreal and knocked him aside easily, pushing him against the car wall.

While the monster was distracted Selphie ran in on its right-hand side. She swung her Flail and the chain wrapped around its arm. Tugging it tight, she held it in place as Squall moved in and slashed the creature across its torso. The stomach bag burst, spilling its contents onto the floor and releasing another sickening wave of stench. The Gerogero cried out, more in anger than in anguish.

The monster drew back its swollen arm and delivered another blow to Zell, this time knocking him clean off his feet. The fighter sank down onto the floor, winded and coughing for breath. When the monster raised its arm to strike him again Squall rushed in and blocked the arm with his sword, allowing Zell to crawl out of the way.

With the monster's right arm still trapped in the Flail's chain, Selphie ran around to stand behind the creature. She began to pull on the Flail, drawing the monster's arm towards her. Realising that its arm was being pulled back the Gerogero tried to turn towards her, but its attention was drawn back to the front when Squall ran in and delivered another swipe to its torso.

The arm was drawn taut and still Selphie continued to pull. Eventually the Gerogero itself was pulled back, its spine crunching as it bent backwards. The added weight of its deformed arm and leg meant it could not struggle against her, nor could it topple over. The young woman pulled the monster back until its head almost touched the ground, its dark, empty eye-sockets fixed upon her in what she assumed was a look of rage. Her stomach churned when she saw the split stomach bag and intestines, but she swallowed her nausea and held firm.

"Squall" she called. "Cut the head off!"

The Gerogero's head was exposed and undefended. With the undead, cutting off the head and removing the brain's connection to the body was the fastest and surest method of defeating it. There were other methods, of course, but none of these were at their disposal right now.

Squall was beside her in an instant. Standing over the Gerogero's exposed head, he raised his gunblade. The Gerogero tried to raise its other arm, but Zell grabbed hold of it and held it down. The monster was unable to break free of their hold on it, and unable to defend itself. Squall tilted the blade tip downwards, ready to thrust it through the monster's neck.

The Gerogero opened its mouth. Deep in its throat it started to gurgle. Squall paused as he gazed into its mouth. Right in the back of its mouth, the black liquid oozed. It swelled and bubbled, rising up towards its mouth. It rose with an acrid odour, and Squall could tell right away that it was trouble. The pinpricks of light in the monster's eyes rolled back into its head. Its throat muscles contracts.

Squall lowered his sword.

"Get back!"

* * *

_**A Note from the Authoress**_

Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up. Planning out this battle took some time. There was so much I wanted to fit in, but with the battle's location I kept on having to rethink and plan it differently. I also hadn't intended for this battle to run into a second chapter, but oh well.


	20. Part 02: Chapter 18

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Eighteen**

Up until the moment when Rinoa came running out of the president's car, Watts had been listening in through the closed door. He could not hear very much, but he when he heard the sounds of battle he surmised quickly that it had all gone very wrong. When the door burst open and Rinoa came bursting out, Watts had to step back quickly avoid being bowled over.

"Ah! Rinoa, sir!" he said. "What's happening in there, sir?"

"Out of my way, Watts!" responded Rinoa. She brushed past him, leapt up the steps to the corridor and flung open the door. She hurried down the corridor, heading towards her room.

Watts stared after her. He scratched his head, bewildered. He looked back at the door to the president's car. Though he could not see what was going on, he could feel that on the other side, the three SeeD were engaged in a difficult and dangerous battle. He heard one of the SeeD—the girl, it sounded like—call out to her comrades.

The door to the briefing room opened and Zone came out. The Forest Owls' leader was hunched over, his face white as a sheet and twisted in pain as he continued to clutch his cramped stomach.

"I heard Rinoa," he said through gritted teeth. "Is it over?"

Before Watts could respond, Rinoa returned. He saw immediately that she had armed herself. Her weapon, the Pinwheel, was attached to a projectile launcher strapped to her left arm. Of all the members of the Forest Owls, Rinoa was the only one who had some fighting ability. She had never had reason to use her Pinwheel before—until now, at least. Her dog, Angelo, ran close behind her.

Rinoa headed straight for the president's car. There was a look of determination on her face, a look that Watts and Zone were very familiar with. Seeing the weapon on her arm and hearing the sounds of battle inside the neighbouring car, they knew at once what she was planning. Watts hurried forward and stood in front of her, blocking her path.

"Let me through, Watts!" Rinoa ordered him.

"But, sir!" Watts protested. "You can't!"

Behind him, the president's car rocked as an explosion ripped through it. Zone watched in alarm as the car rocked left and right, causing the base to rock with it. The two cars settled. Smoke drifted through the edges of the door. There was fire on the other side.

Rinoa saw the smoke, too. "Step aside, Watts," she said. She narrowed her eyes.

"I—I cannot do that, sir! Not for you! I mean, you're—"

Rinoa cut him off with a wave of her hand. She turned away from him and folded her arms, frowning. She did not like her orders being disobeyed, nor did she want Watts to remind her of the reason why. Watts meant well, of course, but still…! Rinoa closed her eyes and took a deep breath to quell her rising temper.

When she opened her eyes, her gaze lifted to the ceiling. She gazed specifically at the hatch leading outside. An idea came to her and she smiled. She turned to Watts.

"Open the hatch," she said.

"The hatch, sir?" Watts looked confused.

"The hatch? Zone scratched his head. "What hatch?"

Rinoa pointed up. Zone followed her finger until his eyes too fell on the hatch. His eyes widened as he realised what she intended to do.

"You can't be serious!" he started to protest.

Rinoa waved his objections away and carried on. "We've been tricked," she explained, "and now we've got trouble. We need to get rid of it or we're all dead." She pointed at the president's car. "Those SeeD are fighting for us in there, and we need to do something, too. Now, unless you want to stand here arguing all day and risk it breaking in here, I suggest you open that hatch!"

Something about Rinoa's tone of voice meant that Watts dared not disobey her further. He hurried to the panel and punched the button, and the hatch opened up.

Inside the president's car, the sounds of the battle continued to rage. The three SeeD were giving their all but they were at a disadvantage. The train car was a confined space, too small a space for their type of fighting. And with the car attached to the base, they could not go all-out. Not to mention that car was now evidence of the resistance's involvement in the kidnapping attempt. For the safety of the Forest Owls, they had to get rid of both the monster _and_ the car. The SeeD would deal with the monster. Rinoa, meanwhile, would deal with the car. That was her plan.

After checking her Pinwheel and making sure the blade was secure against her wrist, Rinoa placed her feet on the ladder and began to climb. She did not think she would need to use her weapon, but it was better to be prepared.

Angelo stood at the bottom of the ladder, watching as his mistress climbed. He stood on his back legs, front paws resting on the rungs of the ladder, and barked up at her. Rinoa glanced down at him, smiled, and then climbed out of the car. The hatch closed, sealing Rinoa outside.

Rinoa crouched down low, keeping her body close to the roof. The wind was still blowing strongly across the train; she could feel its pull on her. The woman crawled along the roof to the point where the two cars joined and stopped at the edge of the base car. She leaned as far over the side of the car as she dared, trying to see what was going on inside the neighbouring car.

The windows of the president's car had been opened, and one of them had been smashed completely as a result of the battle going on inside. Through the flapping blinds Rinoa could just see the Gerogero. Mortified by what she saw, her hatred for the Galbadian army rose. To think that President Deling would stoop so low as to use a monster to destroy them!

She watched as one of the SeeD—Zell, she thought it was—move in to attack the monster. The blinds flapped about so she could not see what was happening, but the next thing she knew Zell was at the window, thrown up against the broken glass. Luckily he missed the razor-sharp shards jutting up out of the frame, but he had a cut on his cheek where his face scraped against it.

Almost immediately after Zell crashed into the window there was a flash of light. Rinoa saw the shadow of flames rip throughout the car, and smoke poured from the windows. Zell pushed himself away from the window and disappeared into the smoke. Rinoa's brows drew together in concern, but then she relaxed. She had to keep reminding herself that these were SeeD. They could handle themselves.

As if to prove her right, she suddenly heard the monster's cry. A terrifying, anguished scream that sent a chill right down her spine, penetrating her very soul. Rinoa paused, her body trembling. Angrily she bit her lip, using the pain to break her from her terror. She could not afford to succumb to fear.

She turned away from the window. Opening another hatch, she pulled out a cable. The Forest Owls' base was the same make of train as that of the Galbadian trains, and utilised the same uncoupling system. Rinoa already knew the codes needed to uncouple the base from the president's car, so she wrapped the cable tightly around her wrist like Squall had done and then crawled to the edge of the car.

Down below, the ground rushed by. The tracks appeared to move so fast they were just a blur. Rinoa gulped. Perhaps she should have ordered Zone and Watts to bring the train to a halt first. There was no time for her to turn back now and besides, if SeeD could do it, then she could too.

"I can do this…" she told herself sternly. Rinoa gripped the cable handle tight in her hand. She closed her eyes. She took a breath. And then she leaped from the car.

* * *

Squall charged and swung his gunblade. He pulled the trigger on contact, and the Gerogero screamed in pain as the blade gave a jolt and cut a deep gash into its torso.

The battle was going well, but the Gerogero was persistent and refused to give in to its wounds. Its right arm had been severed, and its extra arm poking out of its ripped-open stomach had also been sliced off. Its body was covered in slashes and cuts, many areas charred black from the fire that Selphie was casting whenever she had the chance. Its jaw was broken from a powerful blow dealt by Zell, yet still it came at them, unrelenting.

All around them, the once fine and luxurious president's car was now a dirty wreck. In order to defend itself from attack, the Gerogero had resorted to using its own stomach bile was a weapon. It had vomited, bringing up the thick black liquid from its rotting innards and hurling it around the car.

Only Selphie had not managed to dodge the bile in time. It splashed onto her arms as she raised them to defend her face. Its effects took hold immediately. The bile had a numbing effect on the body, making it difficult to move. It was as though Selphie had been drenched in glue, and she could not move without great effort. Because of this Selphie hung back in the corner, attacking only when she had the chance—or the ability.

Such a moment came just then as Selphie finally managed to raise her arms and launch another fireball at the Gerogero. The ball of fire sailed overhead but even that seemed to move in slow motion, and the Gerogero tilted its ahead aside. The ball skimmed past its face, doing nothing more than singing a few of its long grey hairs.

As the ball flew past Zell ran in from behind. He began to deliver a flurry of fierce punches and kicks. Unable to defend itself, the Gerogero teetered forward. It thrust out its one remaining arm and placed it solidly on the ground, using it as a counterbalance to keep it from falling over.

With the monster preoccupied, Squall rushed in to its undefended left-hand side. He plunged his sword deep into the Gerogero's waist. He thrust it deeper and deeper, until the sword's tip emerged on the other side. Squall ignored the monster's pained cries as he pulled the gunblade back, squeezing the trigger as he did so. The blade gave a jerk and pulled free, dragging shards of the monster's flesh with it.

The Gerogero writhed, waving its bloody stump that was the remains of its arm. Its broken jaw opened wide and another spurt of black bile came out. Squall, however, was already moving and the liquid splashed harmlessly onto the floor.

A gentle hum rumbled throughout the car, and Squall heard the faint sound of machinery moving. He lowered his sword for a moment and looked around for the source of the sound. He then got his answer as a hatch opened overhead and Rinoa peered down at him, her face pale but urgent.

"Hey, guys!" she called. "I've uncoupled the car. Get out, hurry!"

Squall turned to his comrades. "Hurry!" he ordered.

Zell nodded and pulled back, leaving the Gerogero as it continued to thrash about in agony. He ran to Selphie, still moving slowly with the effects of the bile. Putting his arm about his shoulders, he helped her towards the door. The humming of the car was growing louder, and Squall heard a mechanical groan as the connectors started to uncouple.

With one hand Zell threw open the car door. Already a gap was starting to form between the base and the president's car. Zell kicked open the door to the base, startling Zone and Watts who were waiting on the other side.

When Zone saw the Gerogero—with its missing arms and split-open torso still dripping with black ooze—his face paled. He clutched at his stomach and fled back into the briefing room. The door locked behind him. Watts remained where he was, his eye widened as he gazed upon the monster.

The gap between the two cars was growing larger. Zell pushed Selphie through first. Watts finally snapped out of his daze and helped her, taking the girl's arm and pulling her to safety. Once she was through Zell readied himself and then jumped over the gap. He turned back to the president's car and waved for Squall to hurry.

Except that it was too late. The president's car had begun to slow down and was falling behind. The gap between the two cars was now too wide and impossible to jump. This meant that Squall was stranded on the other side… with the monster.

Squall had realised this as well. Instead of risking a jump he grabbed hold of the swinging cabin door and pulled it shut, sealing himself inside the car. He turned back to the Gerogero. The monster had regained its balance and was moving towards him, a wicked grin on its broken face. The swordsman raised his gunblade, prepared to fight alone if he had to.

There was a flash and a whir as something large and metallic zipped down from above. It slashed across the Gerogero's torso, causing the flesh to rip apart and unfold like a rotting blanket. Its ribcage was exposed, and Squall caught sight of a single black lung—the other having rotted away—and an equally black heart. The heart was beating yet it pumped no life. The Gerogero shrieked in pain as it stepped back, raising its deformed arm to cover its horrific wound.

The Pinwheel turned in midair and returned to Rinoa. The woman stretched out her arm and the Pinwheel slotted automatically onto the band around her wrist, locking itself into place. With a click the projectile turned around to face out, ready to be cast again if need be. "Hurry," Rinoa called down to Squall. She reached out her hand to him.

Squall looked up at her and then over at the Gerogero. The monster was thrashing, more in anger than in pain. It was badly wounded: any other monster would have died from such wounds. But the Gerogero was an undead. The wounds it had suffered were merely an annoying hindrance. The monster had to die, here in this car, lest it escape and come after them. Or worse, go to Timber or another unsuspecting town and unleash its wrath on an unsuspecting populace.

The swordsman stepped up towards the monster. He sheathed his sword. Although his body was starting to feel drained from overuse of his para-magic, he called upon it once more to bring an end to the battle. After a few seconds fire began to form in front of him. The flames flicked and grew and then split into four, forming for red-hot fireballs.

With a wave of his hand Squall cast the fireballs away from him. One of the fireballs hit the Gerogero in its chest, igniting the creature and setting it ablaze. The monster roared and threw back its head, screeching, this time, in pure agony.

The remaining three fireballs spread out and hit the walls and floor of the car. When the flames came into contact with the black ooze they erupted and spread rapidly through the car. In moments the rear of the car had become a blazing inferno.

Using the last of his strength Squall cast one more fireball at the pool of ooze by the Gerogero's feet. The ball burst and became a wall of flame, trapping the Gerogero inside. The flames rose around the undead and soon it could not be seen for the flames. It could be heard, though, with its agonised scream echoing through the car.

Rinoa watched as the flames spread through the car. The flames were spreading rapidly as they hit the patches of ooze. It would not be long before the entire car was in flames. "Squall!" she called. She extended her hand.

Now Squall turned from the Gerogero and ran beneath the hatch. He jumped and caught hold of her hand. Rinoa grunted and almost lurched forward, for Squall was heavier than she was. She braced her knees against the ridge of the hatch, holding on with all her strength.

Squall placed his feet against the wall. With Rinoa's aid he made his way up the wall until he could grab hold of the hatch and pull himself up onto the car roof. Once he was safely out Rinoa shut the hatch and locked it.

The flames were indeed spreading rapidly. Smoke was billowing out of the broken windows, leaving a trail behind the car as it continued to move, albeit slowly, down the tracks. On the other side of the car there was an explosion and the sound of breaking glass as the windows shattered. A second cloud of smoke poured out.

Squall cautiously rose to his feet and looked ahead. The Forest Owls base had slowed but was still some distance ahead of them. They could not risk coming back to the car now. It seemed they were on their own.

Rinoa saw this as well. She held her hair down as the wind whipped it about, and she shouted up to Squall: "Now what?"

Squall looked around him, casting his eye over his surroundings. One of the first things he had been taught about battle was to never lose sight of his surroundings. Terrain was an important asset in battle: an otherwise hopeless fight could be turned into victory if the fighter was on the right terrain.

In a moment he took in the car, the tracks, and the grassy fields running on either side of the tracks. To his right the grass grew thick and moved down in a gentle, downward slope. A marsh was nearby, indicating that the land was softer here.

Squall had made a decision. He turned to Rinoa. "We jump," he told her.

"We what…? H-hey—!"

Her words were cut short when Squall grabbed her hand and pulled her onto her feet. Rinoa staggered in the blowing wind and gripped onto Squall's arm. Once she had regained her balance Squall led her to the roof's edge. Rinoa looked down at the grassy slope, realised what he had planned, and looked at him in alarm. His face, however, was calm and collected as it always was, completely unconcerned.

"Ready?" he asked her.

Rinoa was _far_ from ready, but she nodded anyway. "Ready," she lied.

"Then… jump!"

Without any hesitation Squall jumped off the car. A second later Rinoa jumped as well. The car pulled away from her and Rinoa had the distinct impression that, for a moment, she was flying in midair. Then the ground rushed in to meet her and she cried out, her voice lost in the rushing wind.

Rinoa hit the ground. As Squall had surmised, the grass was indeed softer her, but the shock of the impact still jarred her body from head to foot. The woman fell sideways to spread the impact and allowed herself to roll down the slope. Her vision became a blur of blue and green as the ground and the sky became one. She had no idea how far or for how long she rolled but eventually she came to a stop. She lay still for a moment or two, facedown in the grass, her mind reeling, breathing in the scent of the grass.

When the world finally stopped turning, Rinoa pushed herself to her feet and looked around for Squall. The swordsman was kneeling a few feet from her, looking up at the railroad. Rinoa followed his gaze.

The president's car had rolled to a stop not long after they had jumped off. There was little to be seen of the car through the smoke, and the flames were licking across its surface. The blinds, flapping about in the breeze, were blackened and smouldering. There was no sign of the Gerogero. The monster would have perished in the flames. Not even the undead could survive when their body was burned.

Rinoa crawled across the grass until she reached Squall. "…Is it over?" she asked him. She was glad she was behind him, because then he could not see how her body was trembling.

Squall nodded, oblivious to the way her voice also trembled as she spoke. "The undead are extremely weak against _Fire_," he told her. "It eliminates all trace of their bodies. There'll be no evidence it was ever there."

Rinoa had not asked for an explanation, but she was too shaken to object. Squall looked down at the grass, his expression thoughtful. She could guess what he was thinking: that the Galbadian army had planned it that way on purpose. The army had probably planned to return once the Gerogero had killed the resistance, slay the monster themselves, and then set the car ablaze to remove all evidence of the army using monsters against rebels.

Rinoa clenched her fists. She forced her body to quit shaking. Defiant, she raised her head.

"Let's go…" she said.

* * *

_**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS**_

And I didn't plan this section to take a whole chapter, either. Yet that's how it turned out. Oh well.

Also, as a side note, I have just finished preparing the script for Final Fantasy XIII. I have no plans to start it as yet, but I have the script ready for when I do. I'm now back to scripting Crisis Core and am currently on Chapter 7 of that.

Once I have finished scripting Crisis Core I will begin writing it up, as promised before I started Final Fantasy VIII. I will not be uploading it, however, since Final Fantasy VIII is my main project. I will spend the weekdays on FF8, and the weekends on CC. As Crisis Core is a shorter game in comparison, there is a chance I may finish that story before FF8 is complete. If that becomes the case—and bear in mind this could be a couple of years down the line—I will start uploading it. Otherwise, I will only begin uploading Crisis Core after I have finished this story.

It's already been four months since I started this story. I'm hoping to finish Disc 1 before October, and try to get through one disc a year if I can. Thanks to everyone who is taking the time to read it, and thanks for the lovely reviews.

Now, back to work.


	21. Part 02: Chapter 19

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Nineteen**

After the Gerogero perished in the flames, Squall and Rinoa picked themselves up and hurried to catch up with the base. The Forest Owls locomotive had come to a stop just ahead of them. Zell, standing in the doorway, called for them to hurry.

Once Squall and Rinoa were onboard the locomotive revved up and began to move down the tracks. The locomotive moved swiftly, leaving the smouldering president's car behind them. Instead of heading straight back to Timber, Zone ordered that the train be brought to a halt some distance from the city. Then he and Rinoa, along with the three SeeD, gathered in the briefing room to discuss the outcome of the mission.

"Man, I can't believe the president was a fake!" Zone said, opening the discussion.

"I can't believe we fell for it!" agreed Rinoa.

Squall had to disagree, though he did not say so out loud. The undead Gerogero had been unexpected, but it was unsurprising that the Forest Owls had fallen for such an obvious trap. They had underestimated the Galbadian army and its president. They had been too confident in their own abilities, and had let themselves be blinded by opportunity. If they had conducted this plan on their own, without the aid of SeeD, the mission would have had a much bloodier end.

"Info, sir! New info!"

The door opened and Watts ran in. Instead of joining in the discussion with Zone and Rinoa, Watts had gone to the Ops Room with the rest of the Forest Owls members, monitoring the news currently being broadcast in Timber. He must have heard something very spectacular, for he could barely contain his excitement. His face was almost glowing, bursting to share the news he had just discovered.

"It's big news!" Watts continued. He stopped by Zone and Rinoa, speaking rapidly between breaths. "I found out the real reason why the president's here, sir! The president's going to the TV Station! Security's real tight, sir!"

"…The TV Station?" Rinoa was confused. "Why in Timber? They can broadcast just as easily from Galbadia."

Selphie, now fully recovered after the Gerogero's slowing venom, turned from the window. "Do you think the Dollet communication tower has anything to do with this?" she asked him. The swordsman folded his arms. He looked thoughtful.

"Why's that?" asked Zone.

Squall turned to him. "Dollet has a communication tower that can transmit and receive radio waves," he answered. "It had been abandoned for a long time, but the Galbadian Army got it up and running yesterday." He thought of how the army had fought tooth and nail to get the tower up and running again, and how the army's sole condition for withdrawing from the city was if the tower remained operational.

"Ohhh… I get it…" said Zone. "The only TV station that can handle broadcasts over the air is in Timber." He turned to Rinoa. "Other stations use HD cable, which only supports on-line broadcasting."

Rinoa raised an eyebrow. "So, what's that supposed to mean?"

"They're planning on using radio waves. This way, they can transmit images to regions without cable."

"I know that…!" Rinoa snapped, her cheeks flushing. "What I want to know is, what is the president going to broadcast! Why use radio waves?" She looked around. "There must be something they want to say to the whole world. What can it be?"

Everyone fell silent as they tried to think. They could think of any number of reasons why the president would want to make an announcement, but none of those reasons seemed important enough to say to the _world_. An announcement so important that it had to be broadcast to the far southern reaches of the Galbadian continent, to the xenophobic nation of Esthar to the east, and to the desolate continent at the bottom of the globe…

It was Selphie who came up with the obvious answer. The girl spread her arms wide, her blue eyes large and sparkling.

"Everybody!" she said in a loud voice. "Love! And Peace!"

At this suggestion, Zone, Watts and Zell turned to her. Together the three men pulled faces at the young woman, who continued to stand with a look of hopeful innocence on her face. Only Squall did not respond. Rinoa just shook her head. It was a nice thought, but it was not very likely.

"If I remember correctly," Zone went on," radio waves haven't been used in seventeen years."

"It's been that long?" asked Rinoa in awe.

Rinoa turned away from the group and went over to the window. The train was still at a halt in the middle of the Winhill Bluffs. Over in the distance she could see the buildings of Timber rising from behind a slope. Smoke rose in tendrils from various parts of the city where Galbadia had tried to refurbish the city to their own design.

She tried to picture the town would have been eighteen years ago. Radio communication would have been at its peak. Timber would have been small but thriving, and surrounded by miles and miles of lush forests. Tied to the highest post would be the flag of Timber, flapping in the breeze.

"Wouldn't it be wonderful," she said, "if the first broadcast could be the declaration of Timber's independence!"

"Hey!" Zone snapped his fingers. "That might be possible."

Rinoa turned from the window. Already her eyes were bright again. They, the Forest Owls, would declare Timber's independence to the world! There would be little even the Galbadian army could do against a worldwide declaration. It would inspire faith into the hearts of the people, and they would all rally together to make the declaration a reality. Galbadia's hold on the city would crumble, and they would at last be free of the harsh dictatorship of President Deling.

"Let's come up with a plan then!" Rinoa said, eager to get underway.

Zone and Watts nodded their agreement. Squall then expected them to clear the table—which still had the model railway from their previous mission—and bring in the rest of the resistance to discuss the new plans.

He was amazed, then, when the two men turned away from the table, walked calmly to the corner of the room… and then sat down on the floor.

Rinoa turned to Squall. "Can you give us a minute?" she asked him, before she went over and joined her comrades on the floor.

Squall said nothing, but he raised an eyebrow. So this was the Forest Owls' method for planning things? It was more than a little… unorthodox. Not for the first time he started to have his doubts about this particular resistance group. He found his thoughts drifting back to what the Gerogero, in the guise of President Deling, had said to them. Amateurs, he had called them. He was starting to wonder…

He was not the only one who thought so. Behind him he heard Zell whisper loudly to Selphie: "They call that a strategy meeting!"

"Can't we go home now?" Selphie whispered in response. She nudged Squall's arm. "What about our contract?" she asked him. "Shouldn't we check it, Squall?"

Squall agreed with her. It occurred to him that he did not even know the full details of their contract with the Forest Owls. Headmaster Cid instructed that they were to support the faction, but he was not clear as to how long they would be working with them. It was probably a good idea to get that cleared up before the faction made any further plans. With that thought in mind, he approached the three.

Rinoa and her comrades continued to whisper in excited tones amongst themselves. When Squall approached the three nodded and Rinoa stood. She turned to face him.

"Oh, good timing!" she said cheerily. "We've come up with a plan!"

Inwardly, Squall groaned. He put his hand to his head. "Before we get into that," he interrupted her, "can I see your contract with our Garden?"

"Oh, sure."

Rinoa knelt back down. Zone shifted around and picked up a small metal box that had been pushed against the wall. He handed it to Rinoa, who took out a tiny silver key from her pocket and put it in the lock. She opened the box and pulled out a single sheet of paper. She then held it out to Squall, who took it.

Zell and Selphie came to stand behind Squall. "What's it say?" Zell asked.

Squall cast his eyes over the contents. "… 'Balamb Garden' (hereafter referred to as 'Party A')," he read out, "acknowledges 'The Forest Owls' (hereafter referred to as 'Party B') as the hiring party. 'SeeD' (hereafter referred to as 'Party C') shall be dispatched upon signing of this contract. Party C shall operate under the supervision…" He trailed off. His brow furrowed and he shook his head.

Zell laid a hand on his hip. "…The hell…?"

"I don't get it," Selphie confessed.

"Oh yeah, that one's pretty confusing," admitted Rinoa. She took the contract back from Squall. "When I told him I didn't understand, he gave me a different one." She took a second contract from the box and held it out to Squall. "Cid is such a nice man," she said, as Squall took the contract from her.

"What's it say this time?" Zell asked.

Squall looked down at the contract, reading its contents. "…"

_To the Forest Owls,_

_This SeeD deployment contract will last until Timber achieves independence. Please make good use of each SeeD member. I wish you the best with your objective. Please understand that this contract is an exception, and no replacement of any SeeD members can be made._

_Balamb Garden Headmaster Cid Kramer_

Squall lowered the contract. A momentary silence fell upon the cabin as the SeeDs took in the meaning of its words.

Then Zell burst out: "Until Timber's independence!"

"That is soooo vague!" exclaimed Selphie.

Taking the contract from Squall, Rinoa placed it back into the box. "Hey, you're paid professionals," she said, locking the box. "No complaining!" She stood up.

Zell groaned, shaking his head.

Squall stood up. So that was the crux of it. According to the contract, this mission would continue until Timber declared its independence from Galbadia. The Forest Owls were also not allowed to exchange the SeeD members they had been given. That meant that Squall, Zell and Selphie were to stay here in Timber with the faction until that goal had been attained. However long that may take…

The swordsman folded his arm and looked away. Headmaster Cid had mentioned nothing of this during the mission briefing. Maybe he thought that this would be an easy task for them.

"Okay," Rinoa said, interrupting his thoughts, "let's decide on the parties!"

As if on cue, Watts stepped back. "Gathering info is my specialty, sir!" he said, and then he ran out of the car.

At almost the same time, also on cue, Zone groaned and dropped to his knees. He clutched at his shirt and his face twisted in pain. "OuuuucHHHHH… My stomach!"

Rinoa placed her hand on her hips. As she had expected, it would have to be she who made the decision. Zone and Watts were… currently indisposed. Rinoa shook her head and then turned to the three SeeDs.

"So, of the four of us," she said, "the ones who'll be heading to the TV Station will be…" She paused and looked around at the three SeeDs. Then she sighed. "We might as well all go together," she told them. "A group of four won't be too conspicuous."

"What about our weapons?" asked Selphie, raising her Flail. "They're conspicuous."

Rinoa shook her head. "Timber's a primary city for travellers. Mercenaries, as well as SeeD," she said, "pass through here all the time. As long as we don't draw any special attention to ourselves, we should slip through fine. …Let's go."

The woman led the way out of the briefing room, leaving Zone behind. They went out into the corridor where Watts was waiting for them. Before approaching, Rinoa stopped and turned to the group.

"I'll be with you in a minute," she said, before she climbed the steps and disappeared down the corridor.

Squall turned to Watts. "Where is the TV Station?" he asked.

"The TV Station, sir!" repeated Watts. "It's quite close if you take the local train… But the local and transcontinental trains have stopped running, sir…" Seeing the look on Squall's face he added: "Nothing to worry about, sir! There must be someone in town who knows. Are you ready, sir!"

The swordsman nodded. "Yeah," he replied and right on cue the train started to move again.

"Best of luck, sir!" said Watts. "I'll be keeping watch here!"

* * *

"A guy dressed as a cadet… Gathering information?"

Frowning, the Galbadian officer turned away from his subordinates. They were standing on a bridge that overlooked the local train station, right at the heart of the city. Normally an area of immense hustle and bustle, it had been reduced to quiet and desolation. All of the local trains had been cancelled by the army and now stood silent in the station. The transcontinental trains had been called in too, and would not run again until clearance had been given, and the culprits who had tried to kidnap the president had been caught.

The news of the kidnapping attempt had spread like forest fire amongst the citizens and soldiers. It had received a mixed response from both sides. The citizens of Timber had been ecstatic and secretly praised the resistance group for its efforts in trying to secure the city's independence. The soldiers had responded with fury, and their commanders had great difficulty keeping those angry soldiers in line.

Not long after this particular Galbadian officer had been approached by one of his subordinates, who presented him with this rather unusual and disturbing report. The officer looked back at the soldier thoughtfully before turning away again. His fingers drummed against the rail.

The soldier saluted and continued with his report. "He was asking about the president's stay! I found it strange that a cadet would keep asking about the president. He was very polite and kept addressing me as 'sir'."

At this one of the other soldiers piped up: "I know who you're talking about! He was taking care of three suspicious-looking characters from Balamb!" The soldier saluted at his commander. "I'll go question every teenager in the area!" he announced.

"No!" the officer said, spinning around. "We can't just go up to anybody and…" He stopped as he realised that he was too late. The soldier had already left and was running down the bridge into the city. The officer looked around at the remaining two soldiers. "Ahem. These are civilians. We can't inflict any…"

"How dare they try to kidnap the president!" the third soldier interrupted him, his voice laced with anger. "Not only is it disrespectful to the president, but also to us Galbadian soldiers as well!" The soldier drew his gun from its holster at his side and grasped it with both hands. Eyes blazing, he said: "I'll be sure to find 'em and throw their sad be-hinds in jail!"

With that he too ran off into the city. A moment later the one remaining soldier ran off as well.

Only the Galbadian officer remained. The officer turned back to the rails and sighed, his final pleas unheard.

"…Please…" he begged to no one. "Hear me out… to the very end…"

* * *

The train station was quiet when the Forest Owls' locomotive drove into Timber. The presence of the many Galbadian soldiers had forced many of the city's locals indoors. Only the very stubborn or those who had no choice ventured outside now. The locomotive dropped them off at the same platform where it had picked them up earlier that day.

Rinoa was the last to leave the train. The woman stepped onto the platform, and her dog Angelo padded along behind her. She would go nowhere without her dog, she said, in answer to the curious and sceptical gazes of Squall and Zell. She also added, with a note of pride, that Angelo would provide the perfect alibi for them walking around the city. If the Galbadian army questioned them, they would simply say they were taking the dog for a walk. Whatever reason Rinoa came up with Angelo did not seem to mind: all he cared about was that he was by his mistress's side.

The four (or five, including Angelo!) were just about to step off the platform when Watts shouted after them.

"…Say! I remember now, sir!"

The group stopped and turned as Watts came running out of the train. Instead of heading over to them, however, he ran over to a large map of Timber that was posted on a bulletin board.

"I think the TV Station is located behind a building called Timber Maniacs!" Watts said. He looked the map over, tracing a line with his finger until he found the building he wanted. Turning, he pointed down the road running alongside the platform. "Please head in that direction, sir! I hope you find it!"

"WaaaaaaTTTS!" Zone's voice bellowed from inside the train. "C'MON! The Galbadian soldiers are comin'!"

Watts looked back at the train. Inside, the rest of the Forest Owls were rushing around, trying to dispose of any evidence of their involvement with the kidnapping. Watts turned back to Squall and the others.

"Lots of guards patrolling the city now!" he warned them. "Please be careful, sir! Seems like the hotel's not available, either! Should you need to recover, use the Owl's Tear, sir! Heard it works wonders. I believe you can find it at the old man's house…" He frowned, looking them over. "…I guess you won't be needing it anyway. You're all SeeDs, you'll be fine, right, sir!"

Squall and the others nodded. None of them had needed healing after the fight with the Gerogero. A couple of cuts and scrapes, maybe, but nothing that required more than a simple _Cure_ spell.

Watts turned back to board the train. Except when he turned around the train was no longer there. Unable to wait any longer, the train was now moving steadily down the tracks away from the city centre.

"Hey…!" Watts jumped off the platform and onto the tracks. He proceeded to chase after the locomotive. "Don't leave me, sirrrr!"

Squall and the others watched as Watts ran down the tracks. He almost managed to keep pace with the locomotive—a sight that made Selphie and Zell giggle. Then Rinoa took the lead and the four of them headed into the city.

As the group headed down the neatly paved streets, Rinoa explained to them a little more on Timber's current state. The city had once been a large and prosperous town with a thriving industry, and good relations with its neighbour Dollet, to the north.

However, since the Galbadian take-over, everything in the city had changed. The army had attempted to revolutionise the city's layout to fit more within the Galbadian ideal, but thanks to the efforts of the many resistance groups opposing them, many of their plans had been left unfinished. Now Timber was a city where the past and the present seemed to collide, as old and new buildings stood side by side.

The TV Station, where they were headed, was one of the old buildings. Plans to pull it down and refurbish it into a Galbadian governmental stronghold had been thwarted many times by the citizens of Timber. It had stood abandoned with no use for many years after mysterious interference had rendered the use of radio waves useless.

The Timber Maniacs building was another of the city's older buildings. Like Watts had said, the building was impossible to miss. It was a large, old-fashioned building, built out of grey stone. The words 'TIMBER MANIACS' were placed in calligraphy font above the door, and the company's logo of an open book and a quill pen above that. Right next to the Timber Maniacs was another train station—a Galbadian addition, which made the old building stand out even more.

The Timber Maniacs, Rinoa told them, was the city's local newspaper. Print of the paper had declined over the years, thanks to the strict publishing laws imposed on them by the army. Yet despite its restrictions Timber Maniacs continued to be the city's most popular newspaper, and most aspiring journalists went there in search of a career.

Behind the Timber Maniacs building they spotted their destination. The TV Station lay on the other side, just visible.

Ordinarily they would have been able to take the route along the train station platform to reach the TV Station. However, since they were trying to sneak into the building (and the platform was currently blocked off by the army!) they were forced to look for an alternative route.

Then Rinoa remembered an alleyway behind one of the pubs. It was meant, she said, to come up alongside the TV Station. The alley had been mostly forgotten about except by those who still used it, such as the pub owners and the local residents. Because of that it was possible the Galbadians did not remember it, and security would be more lax. They could slip into the building from the side and the army would be none-the-wiser.

She led them towards the Aphorora pub, which was located at the bottom of some stairs opposite two of the city's train stations. They attracted a few stares from the citizens in the area. Like Selphie had said, their weapons were a little conspicuous. But the residents had other things on their minds and paid them no further mind, hurrying on their way.

They turned away from the train stations and headed down the steps that led to the pub. When they were halfway Squall stopped and thrust out his hand. The others stopped. Angelo, at Rinoa's side, sniffed the air. He growled.

Standing in front of the pub were two Galbadian soldiers. There was rubbish scattered around them where some bins had fallen over, indicating signs of a scuffle. The soldiers had not noticed them yet. One of them was flicking through some items he had picked up off the floor amongst the rubbish. He was laughing.

"That was too easy, man," the soldier said. He held up a card, admiring it in the light. "Heh heh… For a country bumpkin he sure had some good stuff."

Behind him, Squall felt Rinoa stiffen. She drew in a sharp, hissing breath.

The other soldier turned to his comrade. "Yo, better ease off a little," he advised. "These Timber hicks hate us enough as it is."

His comrade spat on the ground, not caring in the least. This served to aggravate Rinoa further, and through the corner of his eye Squall saw her clench her fist.

Sensing Rinoa's anger, Angelo lifted his head and barked. The noise caught the soldiers' attention and they turned to face them. They stared for a moment before exclaiming loudly. The first soldier through down the items he had been holding.

"Let's get 'em!" he said, and the soldiers ran towards the stairs.

Squall drew his sword. He had hoped that they would at least be able to reach the TV Station without drawing attention to themselves, but it seemed they would have no choice but to fight. Their best option, he concluded as he ran down the stairs, was to take them head on and deal with them as quickly and as quietly as possible.

He reached the bottom of the stairs and swung his sword. The soldier nearest to him had been fumbling with his rifle, and in a single swipe Squall knocked it from his hands. The weapon spun in the air and then clattered onto the floor at Squall's feet. The swordsman kicked it out of reach and then ran behind the startled soldier. He shoved him forward.

Behind him the second soldier raised his gun and aimed it at Squall. Before he could fire Angelo, released from his leash, bounded past Squall and leaped onto the soldier. The dog's normally gentle and doe-eyed expression had been transformed into a fierce, hardened gaze as the dog clamped his jaws on the soldier's left arm. He bit down hard, and the weight of his body pushed the soldier back onto the ground. The soldier dropped his gun and cried out in pain, struggling to break free.

Meanwhile Squall grabbed his opponent's shoulder and dragged him back onto the floor. He thrust down his sword but the soldier rolled out of the way and towards his gun. He reached for it, but before he could lay his fingers on it a brown boot slammed hard onto his hand. The soldier looked up to find Selphie standing over him, a malevolent grin on her face.

A pair of hands grabbed his shoulders and the soldier was pulled roughly to his feet. Selphie then swung her Flail and the chain wrapped around the soldier's wrist. Holding both bars in her hands the girl tugged and started to spin the soldier in a circle. She spun him faster and faster until his arm slipped free of the Flail, and he went staggering back into a nearby wall.

Without waiting for him to recover, Rinoa released her Pinwheel. The projectile flashed as it moved through the air. It struck the soldier on the head, and he slumped down onto the ground, dazed.

The other soldier continued to struggle with Angelo. His sleeve was ripped and his arm was bleeding as the dog held him down, refusing to relinquish his hold. The soldier made to grab the dog's fur and drag him away, but was stopped when Zell grabbed his hand. The fighter punched the soldier in the face, shattering his visor. The soldier gave another cry, but another punch to the face rendered him silent. His arm fell limp.

Zell left the soldier and went over to the other one. The soldier was still slumped against the wall, groaning and holding his head. A swift kick was all that was needed to knock the soldier out, and he joined his comrade on the floor.

Knowing that they could not be discovered with the unconscious bodies of two soldiers, Squall, Zell and Selphie quickly worked together to hide the bodies amongst the rubbish already scattered around them. A small alcove beside one of the nearby shops provided excellent cover for the bodies, and once the rubbish bins had been placed in front the soldiers could not be seen at all.

While the SeeDs were busy doing that, Rinoa bent down and clipped on Angelo's leash again. The dog pawed at her duster, and Rinoa obligingly pulled a few treats out of her pocket. Angelo nuzzled his head against her hand before accepting the treats, his tail wagging all the while.

Rinoa stroked him, and then her eyes were drawn to an object lying on the ground next to Angelo. It was one of the items that the soldiers had been looking at, items they had stolen from some poor person. The woman picked it up. It was a card from _Triple Triad_, a card game that was currently very popular in Timber. Rinoa didn't know much about the game, but she had seen the Forest Owls playing it in their spare time. She had asked Watts, once, how to play the game, but the rules had been so confusing she had given up.

Angelo had finished his treats. He sniffed her hand, looking for more, and Rinoa absently stroked his head. She frowned. It was a nice-looking card. It seemed a great shame to just leave it on the ground, and she certainly did not want the two soldiers to have it. Besides, she reasoned, they might just come across its owner and be able to return it.

Squall and the others were waiting for her beside the Aphorora Pub. Rinoa stood up. She slipped the card into her pocket. With any luck, it would soon find its way back to its owner's hand. Rinoa then took Angelo's leash and rejoined her new companions, and together they went inside.


	22. Part 02: Chapter 20

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twenty**

"I've had enough of this city! I came from Dollet to have me a good time. And now… Trains are no longer running… Can't even stay in a hotel because of some stupid official…! Harassed by Galbadian soldiers… Had my precious card stolen…"

Squall and his group had just entered the bar, led by Rinoa. As they entered, a blast of cool air from the air conditioning overhead washed over them. Selphie spread her arms and sighed, basking in the air flowing down on her. Behind her, Zell shut the door, and then followed Squall and Rinoa as they made their way across the floor. After a moment Selphie followed, reluctant to move away from the air conditioning.

The tirade of abuse that was drifting through the pub came from a young drifter who was slumped against the back door. Even from a distance it was possible to smell the alcohol on him, as he drowned his sorrows in drink. In his hands he held a nearly empty glass of some powerful-smelling concoction of liquor.

The owner of the Aphorora Pub put his hands on his hips and shook his head. It was lucky for him that the pub was quiet at this time of day, though a few patrons had come in to escape the fuss caused by the army in the streets outside. Unfortunately those patrons were not likely to get any peace, as the drifter continued his bitter complaint.

"This hasn't been my day… Those jerks… They think they can use brute force to get anything they want." The drifter paused for a moment as he finished his drink. He downed the liquid in a single gulp and then carried on, his words slurring. "Hell… This town's a good example… Yeah… Everything's messed up because the resistance tried to kidnap the president. Thanks to them, the trains have stopped… There's Galbadian soldiers all over the place… …All because of them!" He slammed his fist against the door. "Don't they understand I'm the one suffering from their reckless actions! Stupid, boneheaded, good-for-nothing resistance! You can just kiss my…"

Before he could finish, Rinoa ran forward. "Hey!" she began.

A worker behind the bar put down his cloth and turned to the drifter. "You don't understand anything!" he said in strict tones. "The resistance is fighting for Timber's future! They're all doing the best they can. It's the Galbadian soldiers and their leader who are at fault!"

His words had no effect on the young man. The drifter merely grunted, muttered something beneath his breath, and slouched further against the door. He twirled his empty glass round in his hands, his face sullen.

Rinoa gazed at him, and her expression turned to one of sympathy. In truth, she had never considered the impact failure of the mission would have on the people. She had just assumed that they would all think as she did—as the bar worker did—that it was all in the name of Timber's future. Her determination hardened. If they could succeed in this mission, then Timber would be free and they would not be subject to the harsh treatment of the Galbadian soldiers ever again.

She turned her eyes from the drifter and looked up at the door that he was leaning against. The word 'EXIT' was stamped across it. Rinoa quickly surmised that this must be the door that led to the alley, and ultimately to the TV Station. She inched closer to Squall, dropping her voice to a whisper.

"What should we do?"

Squall also looked up at the door. Guessing the same as Rinoa, he stepped up to the young man. "We need to get through," he said to the drifter.

The drifter looked up at him. He scowled. "Geez, and now I'm getting dissed by some punk…!" he moaned. Turning his attention to the owner, he raised his empty glass. "Owner, gimme another drink!"

The pub owner hesitated and then nodded at the barman. The barman prepared another drink. The young man was already intoxicated, but as long as he kept his head down and did not cause a ruckus, there was nothing they could do. The last thing they wanted was for the Galbadian army to come and deal with him.

Squall folded his arms and frowned. The drifter was being completely uncooperative, and it was obvious he was not going to move willingly. He watched as the drifter snatched the drink from the barman's hand and then slouched further against the door, muttering to himself. Squall's hand strayed to the hilt of his sword. He did not want to use force to remove him, but if there was no other way…

A tap on his arm made him stop. He looked over at Rinoa as she took his hand and placed an object into his palm. Squall looked down at it. The thing she had given him just now was a card. Squall's brow creased. The drifter had mentioned something about a card… He looked at Rinoa, who smiled. Squall turned to the drifter.

"…Is this your card?" he asked.

The drifter grunted and looked up. He gazed at the card through bleary eyes. "Huh?" Blinking, he leaned in for a closer look. Then his jaw dropped. "…It is!" he said. His expression turned to suspicion. "Why do you have it!" he demanded.

"…F ound it outside."

"Are you serious?" The drifter still seemed suspicious. He looked hard into Squall's face, trying to discern if the swordsman was lying. Squall's face was blank, his expression unreadable. The drifter shrugged. "…Okay. Thanks." The drifter then grinned. "Know what? I'm feeling generous! So you can keep that card. And also…" He rummaged about in his pocket, his drink spilling onto his hands. He pulled out another card. "This one! I'll move out of the way now." He held out the card.

Squall accepted the gift without a word. Unlike the other card this one was old and crumpled, with frayed edges. It was hardly an adequate thank you, but he did not want to offend the drifter now that he was being obliging.

The young man tried to stand up but his legs crumpled beneath him, so inebriated that he could no longer stand. His face paled and he put a hand over his mouth. When the nausea had passed, he waved a hand at the owner.

"Hey, owner! I can't stand up. Can ya help me?"

The owner went over and knelt down beside him. Hooking his arms underneath the drifter's shoulders, he dragged the young man away from the door. With the way now clear, Squall went over to the door and pushed it open.

Sure enough, the alley was beyond. It was in poor condition and filled with rubbish, but the residents had made some attempt to keep it clear. The four stepped out. The owner came up behind them and flashed the group a reassuring smile before he pulled the backdoor shut and locked it. With the door locked, no soldiers would be able to follow them. So the owner had guessed their true intent.

The four headed down the alley. Rinoa again took the lead, with Angelo padding close to her side. The dog kept his nose close to the ground, sniffing the cobbles. After a moment he lifted his head and pushed it into Rinoa's hand. Rinoa relaxed and waved her hand back at the others. The three SeeDs hesitated but then allowed themselves to relax. The coast was clear.

They were just passing by some houses when a loud creak made them stop and reach for their weapons. They looked up as a window opened up at the back of one of the homes, and two small faces peered out. Squall and the others relaxed. It was a false alarm.

The two boys scrabbled about on the windowsill, playing with one another. Their voices drifted on the wind down to them.

"We, the wesistance, caywied out the kidnappin' of the president…" the older of the two boys shouted with gusto.

"And fwailed!" said the younger boy with a giggle.

Rinoa stopped and turned back. She put her hands on her hips and glared at them crossly. The two boys, however, did not see her and carried on with their play.

"But! The president will be dead meat, next time!"

"Next time!"

A girl's voice called out to them, and the two boys turned away. Rinoa heard Squall call out to her. He and the others had stopped next to a broken gate, waiting for her to catch up. Rinoa hurried to catch up with them.

Passing through the gate, they came out alongside the TV Station. As they had hoped, there was no security at this part of the building. The alley came to a dead end at the foot of some metal steps that went up along the wall of the building and stopped at the base of the large TV screen overlooking the city.

Remembering the disaster they had on the train, the group took a moment to carefully inspect the area. Angelo's nose helped, as he carefully sniffed every nook and cranny. They were all right: there was no sign of the Galbadian army here. Once they were sure the way was clear, the four headed up the steps. Angelo remained below, acting as watchdog on the alley.

When they reached the top of the steps, Zell pushed forward and ran to the TV screen. It towered over him, more than twice his height. Zell's eyes widened.

"Whoa," he exclaimed. "An outdoor TV!"

Rinoa and Squall stopped in front of the screen. They looked up at it. Since the TV Station had been abandoned, the TV screen should have been switched off. Now, however, it was turned on, as the people inside prepared the station for its first live broadcast in seventeen years.

As they watched, static poured across the screen. The speakers emitted a high-pitched noise that was painful to the ears. This was the static disruption that had devastated radio wave transmissions worldwide. It could not be cleared, and eventually all the TV Stations and communication towers had been shut down.

During a history lesson in Garden Squall remembered that it had started quite suddenly one day, with no apparent cause. Transmissions started to fade, until nothing was left but a screen full of static. The cause of the disruption had never been discovered, although there were several theories.

Shortly after the static disruption had infected stations all over the world, terrifying stories began to fly in from all across the globe. People claimed that they could see words drifting through the static on their screens, displaying unnerving messages. It was all nonsense, of course, in Squall's opinion.

Yet as he looked at the TV screen before him now, he could see why people were unnerved. Every so often it did appear as though there were words embedded in the static. They appeared only for a moment, before they dissolved back into the static as though they were never there.

Rinoa was having the same feeling as she looked up at the screen. "This is creepy…" she said with a tremor in her voice. "What is it?"

Squall turned to her. "This noise is broadcast over most of the frequencies," he told her. He did not mention the strange words appearing on the screen. "Something has to be done about this before they can broadcast it over the air."

"Right on!" agreed Selphie.

There was a bark from below, followed by the sound of footsteps clanging on the steps. The four turned and their hands rushed to their weapons, but relaxed when they saw that it was just Watts running towards them.

"The president's in the studio now, sir!" Watts called up. He stopped halfway up the stairs. "Too many guards now, so we won't be able to storm the place, sir!"

"So we can't just rush in…" Rinoa muttered as Watts hurried back down the stairs. "We've gotta come up with a new plan now!" She paused and folded her arms, frowning as she thought this over. "If the president leaves," she said, voicing her thoughts, "maybe the guards will be gone, too?" She nodded and looked at the three SeeDs. "That's when we do OUR broadcast. It might not be as influential but it's better than nothing, right? We don't stand a chance if we take 'em head on, right?"

There was an earnest look in her eyes as she waited for the SeeDs' reply. Squall sighed. It was as though Rinoa wanted _them _to make the decision.

"Don't worry about us," he told her. "We'll fight your enemies based on your decision. That's our duty."

Zell thumped his fist against his chest. "You tell us to go, we go," he said. "Even if it is a losing battle."

"Heeey," Selphie stepped up next to Squall. "I'm a SeeD, too. Just want you to know, I'm ready for anything."

Rinoa looked at the three SeeDs standing before her. Then she sighed and shook her head. The three young people were no older than she was, and yet here they stood, talking of duty as though it was something so plain and simple.

"How sad…" she said softly. "Act on my decision? That's your duty? Oh, what an easy life it must be, just to follow orders…"

"Call it what you want," Squall replied. He gestured to Zell and Selphie, standing behind him. "All we want is for you to achieve your goal using our help." He turned his eyes from her. "I find it hard to believe you can do it, though…"

Rinoa's head snapped up. She drew in a sharp breath. "W-What did you say!" she demanded. Squall, in response, simply shook his head. Rinoa stepped closer. "If you have something to say," she said, "just say it!"

Squall crossed his arms and turned away from her. "Forget it."

Rinoa shook her head. "You started it," she pressed him. "The least you can do is finish it. Come on, what's on your mind?"

"…Just forget it."

But Rinoa was insistent. "…Tell me. This is an order. An order from your client."

An order from the client… According to the protocol in SeeD missions, an order from the client took priority over all else. Squall sighed and turned back to her. Rinoa was looking at him expectantly, her dark eyes fierce. It was not the place of SeeDs to question or criticise their clients, but since it was an order…

"How serious are you…? Really…?" he asked her. "The three of you plop down on the floor to discuss strategy? On top of that, you can't make a decision without our input, right?" He spread his palms, shaking his head. "How do you think we feel, working for such an organisation?"

Rinoa looked taken aback. She took a step back, her eyes wide. Angrily she turned her head away.

Seeing the look on Rinoa's face, Selphie nudged Squall in the arm. "You're being a little too hard," she whispered.

Squall glanced back at her, and then looked over at Rinoa. The young woman's cheeks were flushed, and he could see the muscles of her jaw clench as she tried to adopt a fierce and angry expression. Yet despite her efforts, her eyes betrayed her true feelings. She was hurt by his accusation. Squall shifted, uncomfortable. Perhaps he had been a little too blunt with his response.

"…Sorry," he apologised, his words sincere. "Guess I got a little carried away."

At first Rinoa did not reply. Knowing that her efforts to keep her emotions under control were failing, she turned away from the SeeDs and knelt down beside the screen. There was a small console there, and she fiddled absently with the dials, as though trying to clear the static. Of course none of them worked, but it helped her to make it seem like she was busy.

"You know…" she began after a moment. "Maybe this was all a big mistake." She halted her hands and closed her eyes. She lowered her head. "I thought everything would work out fine once SeeD came to help us."

Rinoa stood up and turned away from the TV screen. The static behind her buzzed loudly but she ignored it, and rubbed her arm.

"But I guess it's not that easy," she admitted. "It's not like you're one of us." Opening her eyes, she turned to Squall. "Um, let's see… We'll cancel the plan, and we'll disperse for now. We don't stand a chance if we take 'em head on, right?" She paused; bit her lip again. "So… you guys probably think this is all a game to us. …Well, it's not!" Rinoa placed her hand on her heart. Nobody could see it, but inside she was burning inside from the intensity of her feelings. "We're serious. So serious… it hurts."

She then pushed past Squall and Zell and stormed down the stairs. She did not look back at them but kept her face firmly forward as she ran. When she neared the bottom she jumped, leaping over the last few steps, and then carried on running. She passed Angelo, sitting next to a box. The dog got up and bounded after her.

Selphie leaned against the railing. "…Heeey?" she called down, but Rinoa did not seem to hear her. The young woman turned the corner and into the alley.

With Rinoa gone, Squall placed his hand on his hip and sighed. Instead of going after her, he turned his thoughts to what they should do now that the plan to infiltrate the TV Station was cancelled. Should they return to town and regroup with the Forest Owls?

Before he could dwell on it further, the noise coming from the TV screen grew louder. Squall turned and looked up at the screen. The static running across the screen had thinned, and an image was beginning to appear.

Zell gazed up at the screen. "They starting?" he asked.

Selphie left the railing and joined her comrades in front of the screen. The trio watched as the static became clearer and clearer, until finally the image hiding behind it was revealed. It was not a perfect image, and static continued to pulse in small waves across it, but it was most definitely there.

On the screen they saw a podium, placed in the centre of a wooden stage. A red drop curtain hung on the back wall, blocking off all signs of the debris that had been left behind when the station was closed down. Tech men were wandering across the screen, making the final checks. As they walked around, Squall noticed that a number of microphones had been placed on the podium. Did all of those microphones connect to stations all over the world? If so, then the president's announcement really was something to be addressed to the world. Squall wondered…

The tech men moved away and another man came onscreen. At first Squall thought it was the president, but quickly realised that it wasn't. The man, dressed in a suit, stepped up behind the podium. He gestured to the tech men and then tapped one of the microphones laid out in front of him.

"T-Testing… 1… 2…" he said. His voice squeaked a little as he spoke into the microphone. "Testing… Testing… Ohhhh!"

The man had exclaimed because he had looked up and realised that the cameras in front of him were switched on. At first he appeared startled and unable to speak. Then his face became a picture of joy and amazement as he spoke to the camera and, through that, to the world.

"P-People of the world!" the man said. "Can you see me! Can you hear me! Oh, this is incredible! Ladies and gentlemen, this is not a recording! This is an actual broadcast over the air! Yes, it's been seventeen years since a live broadcast has been possible!" Realising that his voice was rising to ecstatic levels, he quickly stopped himself. "Oh, please excuse me…" he apologised, bowing his head. "I seem to have lost my composure."

He paused and coughed, trying to restore his lost composure. From the speakers music—the Galbadian anthem—started to play. When the music began the announcer took a breath and straightened his back, facing the camera.

"We would like to present to you today a message from the lifelong President of Galbadia, Vinzer Deling. Ladies and Gentlemen, President Deling."

The announcer left the podium and walked off-screen. All over Timber, all eyes were on the TV Station. Everyone in the city stopped what they were doing and turned to the big screen as the Galbadian anthem resonated from every speaker in the city.

The same was happening in all the surrounding towns, from Timber all the way to Dollet to the north. Even in Balamb, all the way across the ocean. All over the world, eyes would be drawn towards their screens, awaiting the first broadcast to be made after seventeen years of radio silence.

In Timber, Squall, Zell and Selphie waited in silent anticipation. This was it… The big announcement that was so important that Galbadia had to go to all this trouble… They were about to find out what it was, at last.

President Deling stepped onto the screen. The SeeDs recognised him straight away, for of course the body double had been altered to resemble the president perfectly.

A wave of static moved across the screen as the Galbadian president took the podium and placed his hands on it. His face was genial, smiling, and he looked into the camera not as though he was looking into a machine, but into the faces of every person who at that moment was staring back at him. Squall was surprised. He had expected a hard-faced man with a scowling face, not this smiling man. The president waited a moment, looking into the camera, and then began his address to the world.

"Greetings. I am Vinzer Deling, lifelong president of Galbadia. Today, I stand before you to make the following proposition. We the people of this world have the power to end all wars."

Selphie jumped up and down and pointed at the screen. "See, see!" she said, her face triumphant. "It's a peace proposal to the world. I knew it!"

Squall held up his hand, silencing her, as the president continued. "Unfortunately, there are some trifling problems standing between Galbadia and other nations, and they must be resolved."

At this Squall frowned, and narrowed his eyes. He found the choice of words the president made just then rather… interesting. 'Trifling problems'… The swordsman folded his arms across his chest, listening intently. The president continued with his speech and while he spoke, somewhere in the background, a faint crash could be heard. The president, however, paid it no heed.

"I plan to convene with other nations' leaders immediately to resolve these problems. At this time, allow me to introduce the ambassador who will be my representative for the conference."

Zell groaned. "Man," he complained. "All this just to introduce an ambassador."

Squall had to agree. This speech was becoming more interesting by the minute. So the president was not planning to attend the meetings in person, but send an ambassador instead. Whoever this ambassador was, they must be a very important person to go to all this trouble introducing them.

"The ambassador, is the Sorceress…"

"…The Sorceress?"

Another wave of static passed across the screen, dulling out the president's next words. But Squall had heard all that he needed to know.

Sorceresses… Otherwise known as the descendents of Hyne, legendary creator of the world… Women who held great magical power…

The sorceresses were women who held great magical power. The para-magic used by SeeD, made accessible only by the harnessing of a GF to the mind, was pale in comparison to the magic used by the sorceresses. Sorceresses did not need GF; their own strength of will was all that was needed to call on the magic they held within them. Their magic was powerful and terrible. Sorceresses were usually seen as figures of might and terror, respected and feared by many.

Squall folded his arms and looked down. His eyes narrowed further. So that was Deling's real intent. This talk of creating world peace—as Selphie had put it—was nothing but a façade. Having a sorceress as his ambassador was proof of that.

Before Squall could dwell on this further, another loud crash sounded on the screen. Beside him, he heard Selphie cry out.

"Heeey!" She pointed up at the screen.

Squall looked up. On the screen, the president stepped back in surprise as a man burst into the studio and stormed onto the stage. He had a sword in his hand as he approached the president. Two Galbadian soldiers ran on the stage to intercept him, but the man turned and struck them down with two swipes of his sword. There was no mistaking him. That long white coat, the slicked back blond hair… the gunblade…

"Seifer!" Zell cried.

It _was_ Seifer. The SeeDs watched as two more Galbadian soldiers ran up behind Seifer and hooked their arms under his shoulders in an attempt to restrain him. Seifer struggled, but his arms were locked. A third soldier ran onto the stage and tried to take his sword, but Seifer kicked the soldier back. The soldier fell off the stage and crashed into the camera, knocking it off-balance. The image on the screen tilted and static began to pour across the screen.

When Seifer kicked the soldier, the other two holding his arms staggered and loosened their grip. Seifer used this chance to break free and charge at the president. He leapt onto the podium where President Deling stood, grabbed hold of him, and pulled the president towards him. Seifer wrapped his arm around the president's chest. He raised his sword and held it at the president's throat.

"What's he doin'!" Selphie gasped in alarm.

Another figure ran in front of the camera. This one was also familiar, with her blonde hair clipped against her head, red shirt and skirt, and the whip at her side.

"Instructor Trepe!" said Zell.

Quistis stopped at the edge of the stage. One of the Galbadian soldiers who had tried to restrain Seifer ran up next to her and started to inch forward, approaching the podium. Seeing Seifer raise his sword, Quistis turned to the soldier. The microphones were able to pick up her voice, and they could hear her clearly.

"Stay back!" she ordered. The soldier looked at her and then stopped. His comrade ran up next to him.

Zell shook his head. Just what was going on in there? Why were Seifer and Instructor Trepe here? He turned to Squall. "Squall, what are we gonna do!"

"For the last time, stay back!" they heard Quistis shout at the soldiers. "You're only going to provoke him."

Squall looked up at the screen. Then he folded his arms and turned his head away. "…Nothing," he replied. "Our job is to assist the Forest Owls. It's none of our business."

Zell stared at him. When he realised Squall was being serious, his eyes widened. So they were to just stand by while Seifer attacked the president of Galbadia! Yet he knew Squall was right. They were not in Timber to aid in this. They were here to assist the Forest Owls. They could not get involved unless they were directly ordered by the faction or by Garden.

The matter, however, was soon resolved for him. Quistis turned from Seifer and ran up to the camera.

"Timber Team, are you watching? Get over here right now! You HAVE permission! I need your help!"

Static then swept over the screen and the signal was lost. Quistis's image faded, and all sounds were replaced once more by the shrieking static. Zell and Selphie both turned to Squall.

"Squad leader!"

"Squall!"

Squall frowned. It seemed they had no other choice. Turning from the screen, he ran along the platform towards the TV Station's side entrance. Throwing open the door, the squad ran inside.


	23. Part 02: Chapter 21

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

The scene had not changed when Squall and the others finally made it into the broadcasting room. Seifer was still on the stage, with his arm still wrapped around the president's chest as he held the man close to him. His gunblade remained pressed against President Deling's neck. The slightest wrong move and Seifer could cut his throat wide open.

Somehow, Quistis had managed to persuade the Galbadian soldiers to leave the room. Their concern for the president's safety made them reluctant, but Quistis ordered them quite firmly out of the room. As an extra measure precaution the broadcasting equipment had also been turned off. Not that it mattered now. The world had already seen what they needed to.

There was another reason Quistis wanted the soldiers out of the room. Seifer was a member of SeeD. If this was discovered, it could have drastic consequences for Garden. That had to be kept secret at all costs.

Quistis jumped when the door opened, and her hand rushed to her whip. However, she relaxed a little when she saw that it was Squall's party and not the soldiers, hoping to rush in and rescue the president.

Squall rushed immediately to her side. "We need to restrain him!" Quistis told him.

Squall turned to Seifer. "What do you think you're doing!" he demanded.

Before him, Seifer had not moved. He kept the edge of his sword dangerously close to the president's throat. His blue eyes were blazing with uncontrollable fury. Seifer was probably the maddest Squall had ever seen, and he had seen Seifer angry a lot.

"It's obvious, isn't it!" Seifer snapped. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the president, and his grip tightened. "What are you planning to do with this guy?"

"…Planning to do?" Squall was confused. Then he remembered Rinoa, and what she had told him on the Forest Owls train. _That's right… He knows Rinoa,_ Squall thought. _Is that why he's here?_

Squall crossed his arms. It made sense. If they knew each other beforehand, then of course Rinoa would have discussed her plans with him. Also, it was Seifer who introduced her to the headmaster. Rinoa herself had even admitted that she had hoped Seifer would be the one who came to Timber to help with the mission. That was the only way Seifer could possible have known to come here.

Also cottoning on, Zell slammed his fist into his palm. "I got it! You're Rinoa's…"

Seifer cut him off. "Shut your damn mouth!" he snapped. "You chicken!"

And Zell did shut his mouth. In fact he pressed his lips together so firmly they trembled, and his cheeks flushed a deep red. Again, Seifer spoke to him like he was an irritating child. How he _hated_ that! It made him burn so hotly inside it was almost unbearable. The fighter clenched his fists. The bones of his hands cracked and his knuckles turned white, his anger barely held in check.

"He broke out of the disciplinary room," he heard Quistis say to Squall, "injuring many in the process."

Squall turned to Seifer, who returned his gaze with a shrug and a look of indifference. Squall was surprised. Seifer was a reputed troublemaker who held little respect for the rules (the scar on Squall's face was proof of that!), but this was extreme behaviour even for him.

"YOU STUPID IDIOT!"

The outburst had come from Zell. Squall sighed. _Zell, please,_ he thought, and turned to the fighter. "Be quiet," he said.

But Zell ignored him. Hearing that Seifer had injured fellow students in his bid to make it to Timber had driven Zell over his limit, and he could not contain his anger any longer. He pushed past Selphie and approached Quistis.

"Instructor, I know! You're gonna take this idiot back to Garden, right!"

Squall's eyes widened. "Shut up! NO!" he shouted, making Zell jump.

"I see…" said a voice. "So you're all from Garden."

It was President Deling. Realising what he had just done, Zell clamped his hand over his mouth. But it was too late, for President Deling had heard and understood.

It was the cardinal rule for SeeD to never, EVER, under ANY circumstances, allow others to know that they were from Garden. To do so risked danger to Garden and also to the client, if the client's identity were also discovered. Zell had just broken this fundamental rule by announcing that they were all from Garden in front of the Galbadian president… of all people.

A smile appeared on the president's face. It was a cold smile, reminiscent of the one the Gerogero wore when it had worn the president's form. It was completely different from the smile he had shown on camera, the face he had shown the rest of the world. This was the true face of Galbadia.

President Deling relaxed. He straightened himself up and turned his head to look back at Seifer, ignoring the blade at his throat. "Should anything happen to me," he said in warning, "the entire Galbadian military will undoubtedly crush Garden." Seifer flinched, and the president's smile widened. "You can let go of me now."

Seifer grit his teeth. He glared at Zell with such intense fury that if looks alone could have killed him, Zell would have died a hundred times over in a single glance. "Nice going, you dumb chicken!" Seifer spat. "You and your stupid big mouth!"

His words hit Zell with full force, causing him more pain than if a bullet had ripped through his body. The fighter sagged and hung his head, his anger at Seifer evaporated in an instant. Feelings of shame and guilt took its place. A hand—Selphie's—touched his shoulder, but Zell did not seem to notice her.

Seifer meanwhile, had not released his hold on the president. Instead he tightened his grip and pressed his gunblade further against Deling's throat. He turned his attention to Squall and Quistis. "Take care of this mess!" he ordered them. His lip curled and his voice turned bitter. "Instructor and Mr. Leader!"

Seifer then began to back off away from them, taking President Deling with him. When Quistis tried to follow Seifer stopped and raised his blade in warning. The former instructor stopped and spread her palms. Seifer carried on backing off. He led the president to an open door at the back of the room. He disappeared through it, the Galbadian president in tow.

As soon as he was through the door, Quistis broke into a run and chased after him.

Seifer was also running. He had let go of the president long enough to switch his hold and grab him by the collar, and was now dragging Deling down a long corridor. Quistis ran down the corridor after him. Since Seifer was preoccupied with keeping the president within his reach, Quistis soon began to catch up.

Looking back, Seifer saw Quistis was catching up to him. He turned his eyes ahead. A pile of crates, filled with various pieces of television equipment, were shoved up against the wall. As he and Deling passed Seifer swiped his gunblade and knocked the crates over. Some of the crates burst open as they landed, spilling their contents onto the floor.

Unable to stop herself in time, Quistis crashed into the crates. Her boots got tangled in a stray wire and she fell forward, tumbling into the mess. Up ahead, Seifer glanced back, but he felt no sympathy for her. As a SeeD she should have been able to dodge the crates. Tightening his hold on Deling's collar, he dragged the president onward and left Quistis behind.

He led Deling to one of the side rooms near the front of the TV station. Kicking open the old door, he pushed the president inside. Seifer then looked back down the corridor, to make sure Squall and the others were not following him. There was no sign of them. Smiling, Seifer ran into the room.

As soon as he entered the room Seifer knew that there was something wrong. The room had a strange feel to it, as though it was charged with some unknown energy. There was little in the room except for some old cameras and more crates filled with items he had never seen before. In the centre there was a stage with a tall pillar draped in a curtain.

A violet aura descended on the room. Seifer looked up at the lights, but the bulbs had been removed years before. The light was warm, yet Seifer found himself shivering. Sensing that someone was near, he grabbed hold of Deling and pulled him close. He raised his gunblade and held it to the president's throat once again.

"…Poor, poor boy…"

The voice had come from the centre of the room. Seifer turned, startled, and spun around to face the curtained pillar. There was nobody there. Again, Seifer felt a cold chill run down his spine, and he shivered again.

Around the central pillar, the violet light began to ripple. As Seifer watched the air seemed to bend inwards, folding in on itself, like a door that was opening.

From that 'doorway' a woman emerged. Stepping out from the folds of light, she turned to Seifer. Behind her, the doorway closed.

She stood tall and slender, with a delicate frame that was covered from her shoulders to her feet with a tight-fitting, dark purple dress. The dress frayed at the end, and it opened up at the top to reveal the smallest amount of bosom, framed by a thick fur collar. The sleeves of the dress ran all the way to her fingers like gloves, with long and pointed fingertips.

The woman's face was kept hidden behind an unusual, birdlike mask. Horns rose around the mask, and a shell-like shape was on the left side. The only part of her face that was visible was her mouth. As she turned to Seifer the woman smiled—a cold, yet gentle smile. She was unlike any woman Seifer had ever seen before. In fact, she was as far from ordinary as ordinarily possible.

She was a sorceress.

Seifer recognised her at once for what she was. As she started to walk towards him he backed off, and tightened his hold on the president. "Stay away from me!" he ordered her.

The sorceress did stop, but it was not his order that made her do so. She stopped only because she wanted to, because she was as close to Seifer as she had chosen to be. The sorceress spread her hands, extending her long, claw-like fingers.

"Such a confused little boy," she said, speaking in a soft and melodic tone. "Are you going to step forward? Retreat? You have to decide."

Seifer could feel her words pulling at him. He knew what she was doing. She was trying to lure him in, to bend him to her will. Shaking his head, he took another step backward. "Stay back!" he repeated, and pressed his blade against Deling's neck.

He heard the sound of footsteps behind him, and Quistis ran into the room. When she saw the sorceress on the stage she stopped and reached for her weapon.

The sorceress's masked face turned towards her. Calmly, she raised her hand. On her command, sparks of light started to flicker around Quistis. The instructor's hand froze, her body stiffening as an electric charge shot through her body.

Paralysed, Quistis dropped down onto her knees. Her head slumped forward onto her chest. Her vision swam. Images of Seifer, the president, and the sorceress… all of these became a blur. The sounds in the room dulled until she could no longer hear anything that was going on. Though she tried to move, her body would not respond. She was trapped.

With Quistis no longer at risk of interfering, the sorceress turned her attention back to Seifer. The swordsman had not moved the entire time, not even to see what had befallen his comrade. His has had not flicked back for even a moment. His attention was fixed solely on her. The sorceress smiled.

"The boy in you is telling you to come," she continued in her soothing voice. "The adult in you is telling you to back off. You can't make up your mind. You don't know the right answer." She spread her hands again, as though she was trying to reach out to him. "You want help, don't you? You want to be saved from this predicament."

Seifer shook his head. "Shut up!"

"Don't be ashamed to ask for help." The sorceress took a step closer to Seifer, continuing to address him in soft, musical tones. "Besides, you're only a little boy."

"I'm not… Stop calling me a boy."

"You don't want to be a boy anymore?"

"I am not a BOY!"

The sorceress bowed her head in acquiescence. She took another step closer to him. This time Seifer did not flinch or pull away. The sorceress smiled and extended her hand, her long fingers uncurling. Seifer stared at her hand, his eyes wide.

He released the president. Without delay Deling ran for the exit and bolted through the door, leaving Seifer and the sorceress behind.

Seifer lowered his sword. When the sorceress beckoned he stepped up onto the stage and stood in front of her. He was taller than she was and yet despite this Seifer felt as though he was looking up at her. The power she commanded inspired the greatest respect even from him. Memories of the dream he had long ago promised himself came surging to the surface. His blue eyes softened.

"Come with me," continued the sorceress, "to a place of no return. Bid farewell to your childhood."

Obediently Seifer turned, just as Squall and the others ran into the room. When Squall saw Quistis on her knees, her body frozen like a statue, he stopped. He looked up at the stage and saw Seifer, standing next to a woman in a long purple dress and terrifying face mask. Seifer had his sword raised above his head and he was waving it back and forth—waving it in farewell.

The sorceress brought her hands together. Around her fingertips, more sparks of light began to flicker and glow. The sorceress then raised one of her hands into the air and the light surged forward, forming a barrier between herself and the four SeeDs. Squall, Zell and Selphie raised their arms, shielding their eyes from the light of the barrier. They could also feel the barrier pushing on them and keeping them at bay, preventing them from moving forward.

Seifer saw all this, but he no longer cared about them. He turned his back on them and walked past the sorceress, stepping into the alcove framed by the pillar's curtain. The air around him rippled and opened up. Seifer stepped through, and he vanished in an instant.

The sorceress remained in the room a moment longer, taking a moment to look upon the four SeeD standing before her. Through the barrier she saw them, one kneeling and three standing, unable to do anything against her magic. Though her face was hidden behind her mask, it did not hide the cold and cruel smile that formed on her lips as she gazed upon them. The sorceress then turned away and followed Seifer into the alcove. The air rippled one last time, and she disappeared.

The barrier faded, and the spell that held Quistis in thrall wore off at the same moment. The instructor jumped to her feet and ran onto the stage. She looked into the alcove. There was no sign of Seifer or the sorceress. President Deling was also missing. Had he escaped? Quistis frowned, her expression troubled. Folding her arms across her chest, she turned to Squall.

But Squall had no answer to give. All he had were assumptions. Such as his assumption that the woman that he had seen with Seifer moments before the barrier blinded them to all else, was the sorceress President Deling had spoken of in his speech. Now the sorceress was gone, and so was Seifer. Where had they gone?

The door at the back burst open and to their surprise Rinoa ran into the room.

"Hey guys!" she said. She stopped and looked around the room. The look of hurt and anger was gone from her face and she was now smiling, her eyes bright and her smile broad. It was as though the confrontation between her and Squall outside the TV Station had never happened. After looking around, she turned to Squall. "Where's Seifer?" she asked him.

Squall hesitated. Of course Rinoa would have been watching that broadcast. She would have seen Seifer—as the whole world had done—and come running to the TV Station to see him.

He looked over at Quistis. The instructor simply shrugged her shoulders and walked off the stage. Squall turned back to Rinoa, who gazed at him expectantly. Should he tell her what they saw? He wasn't even sure himself what had happened.

"We don't know," he told her. Well, it was half-true, at least.

The smile vanished from Rinoa's face. In its place, a look of concern, which she tried to hide by lowering her head so that her hair fell over her face. She shook her head.

"…He'll be okay, right," she asked, but before anyone could answer her, Rinoa turned and fled from the room. After a moment, Quistis ran after her.

As the two women ran out, Squall folded his arms. That was odd. The way Rinoa's expressions changed from happiness to worry in an instant… Was there something else troubling her?

He and the others followed Rinoa out of the TV Station. They caught up to her on the steps next to the screen. With the broadcasting equipment now switched off only static appeared on the screen. The eerie words they had seen before were also gone.

Rinoa stopped halfway down the stairs. She bit her lip and clenched her fists. Forcing her head up, she looked at Squall on the platform above. "They found our base," she called up to him. "It's completely destroyed."

Selphie gasped. "And everyone else?"

Now Rinoa smiled, and she laughed a little. "They're fine," she said. "They're good at escaping." She then ran down the stairs, with Quistis following behind.

They found her again in the alley, sitting on a crate while she waited for them to catch up. Angelo sat beside her, his head resting on his paws. His ears pricked up when he heard Squall and the others approaching. Lifting his head, he nudged Rinoa's hand. Rinoa looked up and saw them. She stood up.

"We have to stay away from Timber for a while," she told them. "Is there a safe place you can take me?" When she saw Squall frown and put a hand to his head, she added: "This is an order, an order from your client, remember?" Whether he thought them a serious group or not, he was still bound by contract to obey their orders.

Squall realised this as well. He looked back at Zell and Selphie, who both nodded their agreement. Even Quistis, though she had no idea of the conflict that had risen between them, smiled and nodded. Squall turned back to Rinoa. "…Alright," he said.

Overjoyed, Rinoa threw her hand into the air. And Angelo, sensing her delight, barked and wagged his tail. The dog followed Rinoa as she ran off once more to the Aphorora Pub, barking at her heels the whole time.

The barman of the Aphorora Pub had been waiting for their return. He stood in the doorway, keeping a lookout for them as well as keeping an eye on his bar. Ushering them all back inside, he shut the back door and locked it again.

A woman was standing in the middle of the pub, waiting for them. She was middle-aged with a kind, round face that was weathered by age and years of hard work. She approached Rinoa.

"Rinoa!" she said with a broad Timber accent. "I heard your base is in serious trouble. Come over to my place until things settle down."

"I appreciate it," replied Rinoa. "Thank you…"

The woman nodded and then walked out of the pub. Rinoa followed after her, Angelo by her side. Quistis turned to Squall and the others, loitering behind her.

"What are you waiting for Squall?" she asked. "Come on!"

They left the Aphorora Pub. As they left Squall saw that the two soldiers they had fought with earlier were missing. They hurried up the steps leading to the two train stations. "This way!" Rinoa called as she reached the top, and then turned away from the train stations and back down the path leading to the Timber Maniacs.

Following the president's announcement and the incident that followed, the streets of Timber were much quieter. With two attempts made on the president's life in the same day most of the resident's had retreated to the safety of their homes to avoid the wrath of the army. Squall could not see any soldiers around at that point, but he knew they would be coming soon. They would flood the streets in droves and search every building in Timber in an attempt to flush out the culprits—themselves.

Rinoa led them to one of the residential houses built alongside the Timber Maniacs building. The woman they had seen in the Aphorora Pub was waiting for them there, standing in the doorway. Rinoa looked back over her shoulder. "This is it," she said.

The woman shepherded them all inside. When they were all in the woman glanced around the street and then closed the door, locking it _and_ bolting it shut. Squall noted that the locks and bolts were of the highest quality, and the door was built out of strong wood. The Galbadians would have a hard time trying to kick that door down. Squall wondered if that was the reason the woman had chosen such security.

There were two young boys sitting in the lounge, the same two boys Rinoa had had heard when they were in the alley. The boys were playing with toy soldiers—a mixture of Dollet, Timber and Galbadian—and were engaged in a ferocious battle where the Galbadian soldiers were being crushed by the combined might of the Timber and Dollet forces. The boys looked up in alarm when Rinoa and the four SeeDs came in, but relaxed when they saw their mother. After a moment of staring the boys lost interest and resumed their war.

The mother led them through the lounge and into the kitchen. "I'll let you know if anything changes," she said to Rinoa. "'Til then, make yourselves at home."

"Thanks, chief," said Rinoa. The mother smiled and patted Rinoa on the arm. Then she picked up a cloth and cleaning fluid and went back into the lounge to keep an eye on her two boisterous sons.

Squall turned to Rinoa. "Chief?" he repeated.

Rinoa nodded. "She's the leader of the 'Forest Fox'," she said. Seeing Squall stare at her in disbelief, she laughed. "Almost everyone's a resistance member in this town. But right now, we're the only ones that are really active."

Squall continued to stare at her, and then through the doorway to where the mother was cleaning the sideboards vigorously with her cloth and spray. It seemed that resistance groups in Timber really did take all kinds.

Rinoa watched him, amused by his scepticism. Then she looked around the kitchen. "Let's stay here for a while."


	24. Part 02: Chapter 22

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

An hour ticked by. A small clock on the side ticked a quarter to one. At that point the woman's daughter came down from upstairs and made a small selection of sandwiches and something to drink. It was only when they started eating that they realised how hungry they all were. They had set off from Balamb without any breakfast at all, and there had been no opportunity when they were on the train. So the daughter was very pleased at the way her sandwiches went down, and obligingly made more when Selphie held out her plate and asked for a second helping. Rinoa sneaked a sandwich or two to Angelo, who was sitting underneath the table.

The only person who did not partake in the meal was Zell. The fighter remained separate from the others, sitting dolefully in front of the dining room boiler. Since it was summer and warm outside the boiler was turned off, but he busied himself by playing with the switches. He accepted the food when it was offered to him, but he did not eat any of it. The plate remained by his feet, untouched. Apart from Rinoa, everyone knew what was troubling him, but they did not approach him. They just left him to it, giving him some space to think.

When the food was eaten and the plates were all washed and put away, Selphie turned to Rinoa. "I still don't get it," she said. "What did Seifer come here for?"

Rinoa ran her fingers through her hair as she thought it over. "I think…" she began. "He came to help us, the 'Forest Owls'. I talked about it a lot with him. So please… don't think too badly of him."

Squall folded his arms. Like they needed a reason to think badly of him, he wondered to himself. Seifer was an excellent swordsman—as good as himself—but he was undisciplined. He disobeyed orders. That was why he failed the SeeD exam.

He looked over at Rinoa, and the way she smiled when she spoke of Seifer. He wondered how the two of them had met.

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud knocking on the front door. Everyone in the kitchen stiffened as a soldier shouted in from outside: "Anybody in here!"

Rinoa turned to Squall. The swordsman laid a hand on the hilt of his gunblade and moved towards the kitchen door.

"What is this!" he heard the Forest Fox leader shout back. "I have two small children in here. Don't do anything to frighten them."

Despite her warning, the knocking continued. There was also a rattle, as the soldiers outside tried to open the door of their own accord, but the locks and bolts kept it firmly shut. Squall headed back into the kitchen. The Forest Fox leader's daughter, who had gone upstairs once the plates were cleared, came running down to them.

"Upstairs…" she said, pointing up. "Hurry!"

Nobody hesitated to question her. Quistis hurried up the stairs, and Angelo ran out from under the table and followed her. Zell meanwhile, snapped out of his slump long enough to do the same. Selphie started to follow when she realised that Squall and Rinoa had not moved, and stopped on the stairs.

Rinoa went to the daughter. "Will she be okay?" she asked, concerned.

The daughter smiled. "She'll be fine," she assured Rinoa. "The legend goes… that my mother took down many soldiers with her strength, cooking and beauty."

Selphie chuckled, as she pictured the plump, middle-aged lady battling away against Galbadian soldiers. "That 'beauty' part sure makes it sound like a legend."

Rinoa looked alarmed, but the daughter took it in good humour and laughed. She then pushed them up the stairs.

The group gathered in the bedroom of one of the two boys. The bed was neatly made (_not_, it should be said, by the boys) and there were a few toys lying about on the floor. A cat with a large, fluffy tail was curled up near the head of the bed, and it looked up with a sleepy expression as the five of them came into the room.

Zell immediately took his position in the corner of the room, kneeling on the floor. Selphie, meanwhile, took possession of the bed. The blanket was thin, with it being summer, but the mattress was soft and comfortable and she sank into it. She bounced a little testing it, and the cat opened one eye and looked at her.

"So tired," said Selphie, and she spread her arms and let herself flop back onto the bed. Her left hand fell near the sleeping cat, which raised its head and sniffed her.

Rinoa went over to the open window. A cool breeze was blowing in from outside, relieving the stuffiness of the otherwise warm room. Through the window she could see the TV Station, and the screen. She had been walking past the Timber Maniacs building when she looked up and saw Seifer on that screen. Without even thinking of the danger, she had gone running back. But she had been too late. Seifer was gone.

"…Wonder if he's all right…" she asked aloud, although the question was to herself.

Quistis paced the floor. "He was so angry when he found out it was only the three of you dispatched to Timber." She stopped and repeated Seifer's words. "What! They might end up fightin' the whole Galbadian force! And all they dispatch are three rookie SeeD members! Dammit! I'm going to Timber!" Quistis shook her head and turned to Squall. "I never would have guessed he was serious about it."

Squall did not return her gaze. _That guy's always serious,_ the swordsman thought as he turned his head away. _You should know that by now…_

A long silence fell over the room. The cat, realising it was not going to get any peace in here, got up and walked across the bed. It stopped by Selphie for a moment and sniffed her face, but Selphie's eyes were closed so she did not notice. The cat jumped over her and then off the bed. It walked out, leaving the group alone.

It was Quistis who broke the silence. "What's going to happen to Seifer?" she asked.

"He may already be dead," replied Squall.

Rinoa turned away from the window. "How can you be so casual?" she asked him. "I feel… sorry for him."

Hearing that, Squall could not help himself and laughed a little. _…Feel sorry?_ he repeated to himself. _Seifer would hate to hear that._ He laughed again.

Rinoa heard him chuckling and went over to him. "What's so funny?" she demanded. "You're terrible!" Realising that she was raising her voice, she took a breath to calm herself and then placed her hands on her hips. "So…" she began again, now much calmer. "Why do you think Seifer may already be dead?"

_Because…_ Squall answered silently, and then said aloud: "The president of Galbadia and the sorceress joined forces. Seifer attacked the president. It's no surprise that Seifer may have been killed for it."

"Even so!" Rinoa retorted. "I still hope he's alive."

Her eyes were fierce. Looking into them, Squall could see that Rinoa truly did hope that Seifer was alive. Of course, she had not seen Seifer with the sorceress, and probably would not understand the dangers of it if she had.

_Think what you want,_ Squall thought as he looked into her eyes. _Reality isn't so kind. Everything doesn't work out the way you want it to. That's why…_ Shaking his head, he said: "As long as you don't get your hopes up, you can take anything… You feel less pain." He shrugged. "Anyway, whatever wish you have is none of my business."

Rinoa pouted. "You're mean," she said. Spinning on her heels, she turned her back on him. She crossed her arms and turned her head to glare at him. "MEANY!"

Squall stared. _What's with her…?_ he asked himself. "…Sorry," he said.

Quistis shook her head, and Selphie—now sitting up—put her hands over her mouth and giggled. It was like watching a couple in the middle of a lover's tiff. Of course Squall and Rinoa were not like _that_, but seeing them cross words like that made them look that way. Again Selphie giggled, unable to get the image out of her head.

At that point the bedroom door opened and the Forest Fox leader walked into the room. Seeing it was her, and not a Galbadian soldier come to arrest them, relaxed.

"The Galbadian forces are withdrawing," she told them. "Only the soldiers normally stationed here will stick around. If you're gonna leave town, now's your chance! You know how persistent those soldiers can be!"

She left the room again. Quistis went down next, and Selphie reluctantly pushed herself off the bed and followed with Angelo in tow. Zell stood up. He sagged and shook his head, and then ran down after them.

That left only Squall and Rinoa alone in the bedroom. The young woman turned to face him. She looked into his face, as though she was trying to read the thoughts that lay beyond. Squall's face remained a mask, and she could not read anything from him. Giving up, she went down the stairs and, after a moment, Squall followed.

Down in the kitchen, the scene was the same as it was before, although it was far more relaxed now that the threat of soldier intervention had gone. Quistis was sitting at the kitchen table and she turned to Squall as he came down.

"Squall, any thoughts on where to go?" she asked him.

Squall stopped in the middle of the room. He folded his arms, trying to think. _We have to get out of here first…_ he decided.

"Getting out of here is only the first step."

Squall glanced at her, noting as he did so that she had a slight smile on her lips. Once again, she had managed to pre-empt his thoughts. Folding his arms, he tried to think, but came up blank. Giving up, he turned to her. "What do you mean?"

"Garden Code. Article 8, line 7."

Squall closed his eyes, trying to recall the Garden Code. Unlike most students, Squall had memorised the code in its entirety. The section that Quistis was referring to dealt with what actions should be taken if a mission was to go wrong or fail entirely, and circumstances were such that normal procedures could not be followed.

_8:7… In the event that returning to the assigned Garden is not possible, report to the nearest Garden…_ Squall opened his eyes. "Head for the nearest Garden…"

"Very good!" Quistis was impressed. "From here, that would be Galbadia Garden."

Rinoa knew of it as well. "We can take the train from here and get off at a station called East Academy," she told them.

"From there," Quistis continued, "we have to go through the forest west of the station to get to Galbadia Garden. I've been there several times," she added, seeing the sceptical look on Squall's face. "We should be okay."

Squall had no option but to agree with her. He had never been to any Garden other than Balamb, but given the circumstances there was no other alternative. And if Quistis said it would be okay, then he had to trust her in her judgment.

"…Okay then…" he said, after a moment. "We'll escape from Timber and head to Galbadia Garden. Let's go!"

The mother, who had been listening to their discussion with solemn interest, went up to him. "You be careful, now," she told him in stern, motherly tones. She held out a small, nondescript black bag. "Take this with you."

Squall accepted the bag. Unzipping it, he peered inside. Piled at the bottom of the bag was a selection of various items including Potions, for treating mild injuries, and Phoenix Downs, for more serious ones. There was also a mixture of antidotes and remedies for treating poisons and other status effects. There was also, mixed in with these, a small selection of food rations necessary when travelling the road. Squall looked up at the Forest Fox leader. It seemed she had pre-empted their plans and had made provisions for them. The mother folded her arms in her apron, smiling.

After they had thanked the woman and her daughter for their kindness and hospitality, the group left the house and went back out into the street.

As the Forest Fox leader had told them, most of the Galbadian soldiers who had patrolled the streets earlier had gone. It was safe to assume that President Deling had also left, heading back to the capital and taking his entourage with him.

It was unusual, Squall thought to himself as they headed across the street, making their way towards the train station. After two attempts on the president's life, he had expected the Galbadian army to be out in force in their hunt for the culprits. Instead they had given up without a fight, or so it appeared.

They were just about to turn down the path to the station when a Galbadian soldier stepped out from a side street where he had been hiding. He came running towards them with distinct purpose, leaving the companions with no doubt that it was to _them_ he was approaching.

"Bad timing!" Rinoa muttered under her breath. Shifting Angelo's leash to her other hand, she casually laid her hand on the release mechanism for her projectile.

The soldier stopped next to them. When he spoke, it was with a very familiar voice.

"It's me, sir! It's me!" The soldier raised his visor to reveal Watts's face. Rinoa and the others relaxed, relieved. Watts looked around, then dropped his voice. "Got some info, sir!" he said. "Timber station will be shut down temporarily."

Selphie slapped her hand on her forehead. "Major bummer!" she exclaimed.

Watts shook his head. "Not necessarily," he continued. "It's not completely shut down yet. The last train out of here is bound for East Academy."

"We're getting on that train," Squall said, folding his arms. If they could just get on that train, he thought, then they could leave Timber and the army behind them. Of course, they still had to _get_ to the station.

While Squall was thinking, Watts turned to Rinoa. "You're going too, right, Rinoa?"

Rinoa nodded. "Yeah. What about you, Watts?"

"No need to worry 'bout me," he assured her. "I'll go gather more info!"

"I promise I'll be back," said Rinoa. "You take care, okay?"

Watts grinned and patted his chest. Then he dropped the smile and turned to Squall. "Squall, please," he said to the swordsman in earnest, "take care of Rinoa."

Before replying Squall glanced over at Rinoa. The woman gave him an innocent look, but her amusement was visible in her eyes. "Yeah, don't worry," he said, turning back to Watts. "Client's orders."

Behind him, Rinoa and Selphie smothered their giggles, and Quistis smirked.

Relief flooded Watts's face and he clasped Squall's hand in his own. "Thank you, sir!" he said, with the utmost gratitude. "'Til we meet again, sir!" He released Squall's hand. He then lowered his visor again and ran across the street to where he had first emerged. After looking around warily he began to march down the path towards central Timber. Squall tilted his head. Watts looked… less than natural.

Rinoa stepped away from Squall and the others, watching in silence as Watts marched away. Although she had promised him that she would be back, in her heart she could not help but worry that this might be the last time she would see him. The Forest Owls were a resistance group, but at times they were more like a family. It was a sentimental thought but it was how she felt, and she was sure Watts and the others felt it, too.

Her hand strayed to a silver chain she wore around her neck. Dangling from the chain was a simple silver-plated ring. Rinoa closed her fingers around it. She shut her eyes. Then she reopened them and hurried to rejoin the others. Together, they headed on towards the station.

As they passed over the bridge overlooking the two stations, Selphie ran to the edge and peered down. The train to East Academy was already there, and a large number of people were piling onto the train. People wanting to get out of Timber before there were any further incidents. The others joined her, looking down at the train.

While they were busy, a figure approached them from behind. He coughed. The companions spun around and the four SeeDs instinctively reached for their weapons. When they saw that it was not a Galbadian soldier they relaxed. It was a man dressed in simple workman's attire and a flat cap pulled low over his brow to hide his features. Tufts of white hair stuck out from underneath the cap, and the man was hunched over, as though with age. At first glance, he could have been mistaken for an old man. On a closer look, however, they realised that it was not an old man's face peering up at them, but another familiar one.

"Rinoa, Squall! It's me!"

Rinoa gasped. "Zone!" She hurried over to him.

It was Zone. Disguised as an elderly man and using makeup to mask the youth of his features. Zone glanced around him to make sure no one was watching, then he lowered his voice and said: "You need to go to East Academy, right?" he asked her. "There's no more tickets left."

"Oh, MAJOR bummer!" That also came from Selphie.

Squall folded his arms. Zone must have heard from Watts about their plan to get on the train. "We'll do whatever it takes to get on that train," he said. Even if they had to sneak their way onto it, he added to himself.

"You won't have to do that," Zone assured him. Digging into his pocket, he pulled out five train tickets. The words 'EAST ACADEMY' were printed on them. Zone held them up, waving them. "Looky here! I have everyone's ticket right here!"

Going to Rinoa, he gave her one of the five tickets. "One for you!" Next he went over to Squall. "Three for you SeeD people. Here, I'll give them to the leader. And the last one is for me…"

His words drifted off. His gaze turned to Quistis. He looked down at the floor, his face torn. Eventually he turned back to Quistis and held out the last remaining ticket.

"Go on," he told her. "Take it."

Quistis was taken aback. "I can't take that," she protested. "It's yours!"

Zone appeared touched. Then a spasm of pain wracked his body as his stomach clenched tight. His face scrunched up and he keeled over, clutching at his gut. "Ouch!" he cried. Fighting the pain, Zone forced himself upright just long enough to thrust the ticket into Quistis's hand. Zone then turned from her and ran across the street. Once there he dropped to his knees, moaning in pain as he rocked back and forth. "OuuuuucH My stomach hurts! Ouch!" The leader of the Forest Owls shook his head. "Just get going!" he hissed through gritted teeth. "The train's leaving."

Quistis looked down at the ticket now resting in her hand. Slowly, she closed her fingers around it. She held it close to her chest. "Thank you," she said to Zone.

Rinoa ran over and knelt behind him. "Zone…" she said in a low voice. "We're gonna see each other again, okay? No matter what, you have to survive. We have to liberate Timber together, remember?" She laid her hand on his back.

Zone _could_ remember. As if he could ever forget. The liberation of Timber had been his dream for as long as he could remember. It had been his father's dream, too, until the Galbadian army cut that dream short. Now it was his dream, along with Watts, whose father was also killed by the brutality of the army. And Zone was determined to make that dream a reality, even though his body rebelled against him.

"I know, I know," he answered finally. "I'll go hide in a bathroom or something." He raised a hand, waved it. "Now get going. Ouch…" Another wave of pain passed through him. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he looked back at Squall. "Take care of Rinoa, will you?" he hissed. "I'll kill you if you let anything happen to her."

At this Rinoa's eyes filled and she rubbed Zone's back. Once more, she was filled with the sudden fear that this may be the last time she saw Zone and his stomach spasms. She had found them irritating at times, but it was part of what made Zone… well, Zone. The thought of not seeing him again… No, she told herself. Zone _would_ make it. They all would. And Timber would be liberated, once and for all.

Rinoa stood up and rejoined the others. She took one last look at Zone and then ran towards the station. After a moment Squall and the others ran after her.

The train was still at the station. The platform, however, was empty, and the stationmaster was making the final checks. Running across the bridge, the companions hurried onto the platform. Rinoa, Zell and Selphie ran straight on board, but Squall and Quistis stopped outside. Overhead, the PA system rang out.

"This train is bound for Dollet, stopping at East Academy. This is the last train for today. Please hurry aboard."

"The last train…" Squall muttered to himself. He turned to Quistis. "Let me double check…" he said. "Get off at East Academy and go through the forest, west of the station. Galbadia Garden is located up ahead… Is that correct?"

"Indeed." Quistis crossed her arms. "Glad we have a leader with a good memory."

The stationmaster blew his whistle. The two hurried aboard to where Rinoa and the others were waiting for them. As soon as the two stepped on board the platform door slid shut. The PA system pinged again.

"This train, bound for East Academy, will depart shortly."

As soon as the announcement was finished, the train began to hum. A second later it began to pull away from the station, rumbling slowly down the tracks. Through the small side window the city of Timber rolled past.

After a few minutes the sights of Timber fell away and the train headed out into the Winhill Bluffs. No Galbadian checkpoint stopped them and the train was able to leave Timber unimpeded. As they left the city behind Squall looked around at the group.

"We'll…" he began.

An impatient voice interrupted him. "Open, open, OPEN!"

"…Make it," Squall finished.

Over by the door, Selphie turned. "Please…" She stamped her foot. "Open up!"

Squall looked at her. The young woman's face was fierce. _…Better let her have her way,_ he decided. It would be much less hassle if she went through.

He went over to the ticket terminal and inserted the three tickets that Zone had given him. Quistis passed him her ticket, and Rinoa did the same. When the tickets were in the machine beeped, processing the data. When it was done it beeped again.

"ID CHECK—Confirming… Access granted."

The door to the seating area slid open. Selphie stepped into the doorway and then turned back to Squall. "Tee-hee!" she giggled, the fierceness gone from her face in an instant. "Thanks!" She then ran through, and the door slid shut behind her. Squall did not need to guess what she was doing. Selphie wanted to stand by the window again, singing as the countryside rolled by.

With Selphie gone, the cabin seemed much quieter. No one else headed through to the seating area, and they did not dare enter the SeeDs' cabin. It could be that the Galbadian army had placed spy equipment in the room, checking to see if any SeeDs tried to escape the city by train. As for the seating area, there were too many people around; it would be impossible to talk freely.

After a few minutes of silence, Quistis said: "We should get there shortly."

Rinoa turned to Squall. "Weren't you just saying something?" she asked him.

Squall shrugged. "It's nothing important," he said, "but… Well… We made it."

Rinoa nodded her head. She took a breath and let it out as a heavy sigh. It had been very touch and go for a while, but they had managed to escape from Timber. She never would have guessed that when she arrived back at Timber that morning with word that SeeD would be coming to help that she would be leaving again the same day, running for her life with her new companions.

"I'll have to thank Zone for that," Quistis said, interrupting her thoughts.

Rinoa flashed her a sly smile. "He's into naughty magazines," she said with a wink.

"I'll keep that in mind…" Quistis said, grimacing.

The whipmaster then turned to Squall, intending to say something further about what they could expect at Galbadia Garden. She stopped, however, when she realised that Squall was no longer paying any attention. The former instructor followed his gaze and Rinoa did the same, until their eyes settled… on Zell.

Zell had not been paying attention to any of the discourse going on around him. The fighter was slumped against the wall, his head so low down that his chin was touching his chest. There were no loud words coming from him now, no sudden emotional outbursts. His usual eager and cheerful face had been replaced by a mask of concern and worry.

It was not hard to guess what was troubling him. He was consumed by fear over what may befall Balamb Garden now that his foolishness inside the TV Station had put it in danger.

Squall looked to Quistis. The instructor, in response, shrugged her shoulders, silently shaking her head.

The train headed on.

* * *

**_A Note from the Authoress_**

_Just as a warning, the next chaper will contain a fair bit of originality, to see how I'm coming along with grasping the characters' speech patterns. I'm also going to adapt an idea a reviewer suggested to me. This next chapter should also bring an end to this part._


	25. Part 02: Chapter 23

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

The train pulled into East Academy station. When the doors opened, Squall and his party disembarked. Nobody else got off the train after them, so the doors closed and train pulled out of the station, heading along the tracks in the direction of Dollet.

East Academy was not a proper train station, but a by-station built in the middle of the plains surrounding the great Obel Lake in the heart of the Timber area. There were no shelters or stops, or anything for that matter. It was just a simple platform for people to disembark.

It seemed unusual to place a train station in the middle of nowhere, but Rinoa explained that it was a perfect spot for those wanting to see the Obel Lake. It was also the only stop for those wanting to travel from Timber to Galbadia Garden, or vice versa, as there was no direct route between the two.

This was due to a number of reasons, but the main one was the Lalapalooza and Yaulny Canyons. The two great canyons formed a rocky barricade around the plains of Timber, separating the country from its neighbours. Railroads were built in places where the canyons did not quite meet, connecting Timber to places such as Deling City in Galbadia, and the Dollet Dukedom.

Between Timber and Galbadia Garden, the Lalapalooza Canyon formed an unbreakable barrier. There was only one gap in the walls where a railroad could have been built, but that path was blocked by a dense forest.

At one time, Timber had requested that the forest be cut down and a railroad built in its place, but the request was rejected by the Galbadian government. Though at the time it was claimed this was due to 'lack of resources', the truth of the matter was that the Galbadian government did not want the people of Timber to have easy access to Galbadia Garden. The plains and the forest were filled with monsters, so only those desperate enough to risk the dangers would make the long trek.

The SeeDs however, along with Rinoa, were a different matter. The SeeDs quickly found out that, unlike the rest of the Forest Owls, Rinoa was a very accomplished fighter. She wielded her Pinwheel with such accuracy and expertise that it was like a part of herself. Quistis's heart leapt each time the projectile came swooping back to Rinoa and reattached itself to the release mechanism. She tried to bring up her concerns with Rinoa, but the woman just laughed and ran on ahead with Angelo.

They also learned that Rinoa had not been exaggerating when she had told them of Angelo's skills. The dog was indeed battle-trained, taking out Rinoa's enemies just as quickly and efficiently as his mistress. Some monsters, such as the unfortunate Cockatrice, learned this the hard way. The bird ended up running off in retreat, with Angelo snapping at its heels.

After a few hours of walking across the plains, Squall called the group to a halt. They were still a few miles from the Lalapalooza Canyon, but time was passing and the sun was well into its downward arch. The swordsman informed them that they would make camp and continue the journey in the morning. At first Selphie had protested the stop, insisting they could carry on until nightfall. But as Squall and Quistis pointed out: it had been a long day, and they all needed to rest and recover.

Nighttime came more quickly than they expected. Within an hour of them setting up camp the sky began to darken, and an hour after that the sky was black with night.

Despite Selphie's claims that she was not in the least bit tired, the young woman was the first to fall asleep. She curled up in front of the small campfire they had dared to light, the chain of her Flail wrapped around her hands.

Zell was also asleep, sprawled out on the grass and snoring up at the stars. The fighter had seemed more like himself, for a time, but quickly retreated back into himself when the discussion turned of their plans for tomorrow. As soon as Selphie was asleep he excused himself from them, and went to his bed.

As for the others, they remained awake a while longer. As night fully settled in and the stars came out, Rinoa turned her eyes to the sky to watch them. She had thought the night sky in Timber beautiful, but the sky here in the plains was even more so. Away from artificial lights of the city, there was nothing to prevent the full glow of the stars. Thousands of stars she had never even seen before now littered the sky, some in clusters and others more spread out. There were no shooting stars this night, but she kept hoping, all the same.

Her dog was sitting by her side. Angelo's head was resting on his paws, sleeping soundly, though he kept one ear raised. Every so often he opened an eye, gazing up at Rinoa, before settling back into sleep.

Sitting across from Rinoa were Quistis and Squall. Quistis was poking at the campfire with a stick, keeping the embers burning. She had feared that lighting a fire would draw the monsters to them but as of yet, nothing had approached them.

Beside her, Squall was silent, as usual. At first the swordsman had busied himself by cleaning his gunblade of the dirt and grime that had gathered on the blade after their battles. He had also removed the gun barrel, cleaning it thoroughly. Now the blade lay at his side, the light of the flames reflecting off the metal, and Squall was staring into those same flames, lost in thought.

After a few minutes, Squall reached into his pocket and pulled out the miniature lamp that Headmaster Cid had given him before leaving Balamb. Holding it out to the light of the fire, he turned the miniature over in his hands. There was nothing particularly special about it. It just looked like a battered old kids' toy. A 'cursed item', the headmaster had called it. But if one with enough power uses it…

"Instructor…"

"Squall." Quistis gave him a reproving look. "I'm not your instructor anymore. I am a SeeD, just like you. Call me Quistis from now on."

Squall nodded, but said nothing. It was easy for her to say that, but it was hard for Squall not to think of her as anything but his instructor. Instead he avoided the issue and held out the miniature lamp. "Do you know anything about this?"

Quistis took the item from him. She too rolled it over in her hands, running her fingers over the dented metal. "No, I'm afraid I don't," she admitted. She gave the lamp back to Squall. "Where did you get it?"

"The headmaster gave it to me before we left Garden."

"I see…" Quistis looked thoughtful. "Maybe it has to do with that rumour…"

"Rumour…?"

"May I see it?" Rinoa interrupted. Squall shifted over and handed her the lamp. Rinoa then gave the lamp a close inspection, turning it over and holding it out to the light of the fire. "It looks like a toy," she concluded.

Normally, Squall would have agreed with her. However, on this occasion, he shook his head. "I think the headmaster gave it to me for a reason," he said. "But he didn't say what it was, or what I should do with it."

Rinoa held the lamp up to light. "Maybe you should rub it," she suggested, giggling.

A sceptical look crossed Quistis's face, and she waved her hand. "Please," she said. "Those are just old folktales. Do you expect a genie to come out?"

"It's worth a shot!" Rinoa said. She ran her fingers over the lamp. A faint golden light glimmered underneath her fingertips as she moved them across.

Seeing the glow, Squall's eyes widened. "Rinoa, stop!" he called, but it was too late.

The glow beneath Rinoa's fingers faded. A dark shadow passed over the lamp, its battered, golden surface turning dark. A dark vapour rose out of the lamp's nozzle, spilling over Rinoa's fingers like liquid. The mist was cold, chilling her fingers. Beside her, Angelo raised his head and sniffed. He growled, baring his teeth.

Rinoa dropped the lamp and scrambled backwards over the grass. The lamp, now on the floor, began to release its dark mist over the ground. It moved like a shadow, a living shadow, which moved and stretched over the ground. Squall and Quistis were on their feet and reaching for their weapons. The shadow passed beneath them, covering the grass.

The shadow continued to spread. It reached the campfire, and as they watched the shadow seemed to reach up and cover the flames. The light of the fire died, disappearing in an instant and leaving them in darkness. The shadow touched the ground again and carried on towards Zell and Selphie, still asleep on the ground.

"Zell! Selphie!" Quistis called.

Selphie stirred and raised her head, but before she could say anything the shadow swept up and over her, and she vanished from sight. A moment later Zell also disappeared, smothering them in darkness. The shadows grew thicker and rose up and over the three until they blocked out the night sky, trapping them inside.

"Wh-What's going on?" Rinoa asked in alarm. She climbed to her feet.

Nobody answered her. They looked around, but they could see nothing apart from each other. Squall reached out a hand to touch the shadow, but his hand grasped nothing. It was as though the shadows themselves had formed an entire new existence, and they were trapped inside of it.

Angelo continued to growl. Then his nose twitched, and the dog turned his head up towards the unseen sky. He started to bark.

Everyone looked up. There was something up there amongst the shadow, heading down towards them. A cold chill descended with it. Whatever it was up there, it was not likely to be friendly. Squall tightened his grip on the gunblade's hilt. Was this the great power the headmaster had talked about?

The creature drew closer, and as it neared its features became more distinguishable. It could have been mistaken for a demon, for its appearance resembled that of one

It had a tall, body with a muscular torso and long and slender legs ending in claw-tipped feet. Lithe arms hung at its sides, also tipped with pointed claws. Horns rose on either side of a head that was pointed, with a sharp, jutting chin. Two large wings protruded from its shoulder-blades, beating in a gentle rhythm as it descended. Its body was mostly black, but its torso and the inside of its wings, along with various other patches on its body, were tinged a deep red: the colour of blood. The creature settled, its eyes closed, on the ground. Its feet hovered a few inches off the floor.

Quistis peered closed at the creature. Then she gasped. "…Diablos!"

Rinoa turned to her. "Diablos…?" she repeated.

Quistis nodded. "He's a Guardian Force, almost legendary." She then shook her head. "I've only ever read about him. So it _was_ true, after all. To think that the headmaster had possession of this GF, all this time…"

Her words trailed away. Squall turned his eyes to the Guardian Force. Diablos… Squall could not say he had ever heard of this GF before. The number of Guardian Forces in the world was vast, perhaps uncountable. There were so many GF whose existence remained a secret. This Diablos was one of those.

Looking at the GF, Squall could feel the power radiating from his body. It pulsed through the shadows like a heartbeat, as though his very life force was derived from those shadows. Again, the headmaster's words echoed in Squall's mind. 'A cursed item'… Yes, Squall could see why the lamp had been called a cursed item, to be able to hold a GF of this power.

Diablos's wings beat in time to the rhythmic pulses moving through the shadows. He then moved and raised his head. He opened his lids, revealing terrifying red eyes. The sight of those blood-red eyes sent a chill down Rinoa's spine.

"Who dares disturb my sleep?" he asked. His voice was deep and guttural and it echoed, although there were no visible walls for the sound to bounce off.

Diablos looked around. While his head turned this way and that, Squall stepped forward and stood before him. The GF turned his head, and his red eyes settled on Squall. They narrowed.

"A human…?" Diablos's gaze turned as Quistis walked up and stood next to Squall. After a moment Rinoa joined them, with Angelo by her side. "I see…" the GF continued, turning his gaze back to Squall. "You must be Cid's students. So it is time… Very well." The GF raised his arms. He stretched the sleep from his body, and his leathery wings creaked as the extended out to their full length. "It is demeaning to serve a human master, however… Prove your strength and your worth to me, humans, and I will grant you my power. Prepare yourself… humans!"

Diablos raised his hand. He held it high over his head and spread his fingers. In the middle of his palm, a ball of purple-black energy began to glow. The GF smiled, his jaw widening to reveal sharp teeth.

"…_Demi."_

Recognising the name of the spell, Squall turned to Quistis and Rinoa. "Spread out!" The swordsman then ran to the left, while Quistis and Rinoa headed right.

Diablos thrust out his arm and released the energy ball. Like a beacon it homed in on them, turning in the direction of Quistis and Rinoa. Rinoa, with Angelo at her heels, pulled ahead. The ball struck Quistis from behind and pulled her back. It lifted her off the ground and then swept over her, smothering her in its dark light.

Squall stopped and looked back. He saw Quistis hovering, encased in the ball. "Instructor!" he called.

Inside the ball, Quistis struggled. The ball began to contract, and Quistis cried out. Her body began to distort, compressing and pulling out of shape by the energy that held her. Her image stretched out and then returned to its normal shape, before the ball burst and the instructor was thrown clear. She crashed onto the ground, rolled over and over, before she came to a stop. Dark, shifting patches covered her skin and her clothing, and stray lengths of her blond hair floated around her head, charged with static energy.

The instructor tried to stand, then winced and clutched at her torso where the heart of the ball had struck her. She dropped to her knees. After a moment she waved her hand at Squall, to indicate that she was all right.

Squall nodded and turned back to Diablos. His battle-trained mind raced. So the GF was one that used gravity-based magic. That made things difficult. Gravity magic was hard to defend against, since it affected the gravity levels of an immediate area. The only way to defend against a magic attack of this type was to avoid it, or get so close to the caster that they could not cast without risking damage to themselves.

As Diablos turned towards him Squall raised his sword, deciding to go for the latter. "Rinoa!" he called to the woman, standing behind Diablos. "Cover me!"

Rinoa stared at him. Seeing his serious face, she nodded and raised her arm. "All right," she said. She laid her free hand on the release mechanism for her Pinwheel.

Diablos was waiting. When Rinoa signalled that she was ready, Squall charged. The GF saw him coming. Beating his wings, he rose a few more feet off the floor and then surged forward to meet him. The GF drew back his fist, closing his fingers, and another ball of magnetic energy started to form around his palm.

Squall braced himself as he drew back his own weapon. Silently calling on Ifrit's power, flames dashed across the blade. They spread quickly, until the blade was sheathed in a fiery armour. Squall felt the heat of the flames burning through his gloves, but he would not let go. He jumped at Diablos, his sword raised over his head. The GF, in response, raised his arm, preparing to strike.

There was a click and then a flash as Rinoa released her Pinwheel. The projectile shot through the air and struck Diablos on the side of his head, knocking the GF off course. He lost control of the _Demi_ ball, which fell from his hand and diffused back into the shadows. Diablos stopped, shaking his head.

With Diablos off his guard, Squall altered the attack angle of his blade, switching it from a slicing position to a forward thrust. The swordsman skidded to a stop in front of the GF, drew back his flame-covered blade, and then thrust it forward.

Catching sight of the flames, Diablos twisted his body to the left. The blade slid past him, scraping past his side. The flames burned hot across his leathery skin, and the blade's heated edge sliced a thin line through his flesh.

In retaliation, Diablos reached out and grabbed hold of the sword's blade. The flames danced over his hands but did not seem to harm him. The GF then yanked the sword out of Squall's grip. He threw it, and sent the sword clattering to the ground. The flames covering the blade flickered and died out. The GF then turned back to Squall and swiped his clawed hand…

There was a loud _crack_ and Diablos's hand stopped just inches in front of Squall's face. Around Diablos's wrist, the long length of a whiptail was wrapped tight. Diablos turned his gaze and saw that Quistis had snuck in from the side when the GF's attention was diverted. The former instructor was half keeled over, with one hand on her stomach while she wielded the whip with the other. The whiptail stretched tight, keeping Diablos's hand from moving.

Diablos looked at Quistis with a look of anger that was mixed with approval, impressed by her determination. Even though she was winded and in pain, she pushed aside that pain to aide her comrade.

He was impressed, yes, but it took more than determination to win Diablos over.

To his other side, Rinoa released her projectile once again. Turning his head, Diablos watched the projectile as it sped through the air towards him. The GF pulled his head back, but felt the bladed edge slice across face. Rinoa then shouted a command at Angelo, who bounded forward.

When the dog neared Diablos he leaped. With a swipe of his hand the GF threw him to one side, and the dog yelped as he landed. The GF then turned back to Quistis. He closed his fingers around the tail of the whip and tugged. Quistis jerked forward and the whip handle slipped from her grasp. Diablos pulled it towards him.

Since his sword was out of his reach, Squall stepped back away from Diablos. Using his mind to call out to Quezacotl, he channelled _Thunder_ magic into his palms. His fingertips started to crackle, and when Squall thrust out his hand a bolt of lightning burst out. Diablos raised his arm as the bolt struck. Smoke rose from the GF's arm, followed by the scent of burning flesh. Diablos, unflinching, lowered his arm. The bolt had done nothing but leave a singed mark on the red flesh. Diablos's mouth split into a wide grin before the GF swung his arm and knocked Squall off his feet. The swordsman hit the ground and skidded towards Quistis.

With Squall out of the way, Diablos turned back to Rinoa. The woman fumbled with her weapon, preparing to release the projectile. Switching Quistis's whip to his other hand, Diablos raised it and gave it a sharp crack. He channelled his own energy into the weapon, and as he cracked it the tip flashed with dark energy. The energy was released as the whip snapped and shot towards Rinoa, trapping her before she had a chance to raise her weapon.

Instead of crushing her like he had done with Quistis, Diablos raised the whip high over his head. As the whip was raised Rinoa too was lifted off the ground. Diablos then turned and cracked the whip behind him, and as the whip moved Rinoa moved also. The whiptail flashed a second time as it cracked and the ball holding Rinoa vanished, releasing her. The woman hit the ground hard, almost bouncing, and rolled over the floor.

Seeing her fall, Squall jumped back to his feet and ran after her. Rinoa came to a stop and Squall knelt down beside her. The woman's hair was strewn over her face, and she had the same dark patches on her skin and clothing that Quistis had. Rinoa did not move and lay still. Squall gave her a shake.

"Are you all right?" he asked. He shook her again.

Rinoa shuddered and then jerked awake. She sat up and then held her head as it pounded from the impact. "I'm all right," she said. Squall cast his hand over her, and green light glimmered and fell like rain. The dark patches left by the _Demi_ magic faded, and Rinoa's head stopped pounding. Rinoa nodded and accepted his hand as he pulled her to her feet. Stepping away from him, Rinoa released her Pinwheel.

Squall watched her, appraising her. Despite that how hard she tried to hide it, he saw that Rinoa was trembling; she was afraid.

It was no surprise. Rinoa did not have the training that SeeD had. SeeD were trained for battle. They were taught how to enter a battle without fear or, if they could not hide it, keep it from being shown to the enemy. When an enemy knew they were afraid, that was when they had a hold over them. Eliminate the fear and eliminate their hold. That philosophy had been drilled into every SeeD.

Rinoa did not have this training. That was why she could not effectively hide her fear. Yet she was determined to hide it, facing Diablos with a brave dace. That was probably because of him and Quistis, and Zell and Selphie, too. Rinoa was not a SeeD, but she did not want to appear afraid in front of them.

"Well," said Rinoa, her back still to him, "are you going to sit there and let your client fight for you, Mr. SeeD?"

Silent, Squall rose to his feet. Looking around, he saw that his gunblade lay a few feet away. The swordsman walked over to the gunblade and picked it up. He ran his gloved fingers along the blade; it was cool.

He looked over at Diablos. The GF was looking over at him and Rinoa. That malicious grin was still on his face, but Squall got the feeling that the smile was more for show. As with Ifrit, who tested students for potential SeeD candidates, Diablos was doing the same. He allowed them to make their moves, judging their attacks and returning them with his own, so as to gauge their responses. Even as he watched, Diablos threw Quistis's whip back to her. He beat his wings, waiting.

Squall took this moment to look him over, recalling his training to assess an opponent before striking.

Diablos was a gravity-based GF, using gravity-type magic. That meant that Diablos could attack up close as well as from far away. He was strong, physically, but his body was lithe to indicate speed. His wings would give him further movement, so he could attack from the air as well as on the ground. An opponent with such advantages should be a formidable one.

Yet, Squall started to realise, Diablos had not been that difficult an opponent. The GF had barely moved from the spot from where he had landed, making use of his speed. His attacks, although painful, were not overwhelming, and his reaction time seemed to be slow.

The swordsman's mind started to race. There was something that was slowing Diablos down. Could it be that the years he had spent sleeping in the lamp had caused his abilities to weaken? If that was the case, Squall concluded, that slow reaction time would be in their favour. In fact, it would be the key to bringing him down. Diablos was just quick enough to defend against one of them, maybe even two. But if they were to all attack together…

"Rinoa," he said, coming to stand beside her. "Run in from his left-hand side."

Rinoa looked back at him. "Why?"

"We're going to attack him together. Surround him, and leave him no room to counter-attack."

Rinoa did as he bade her and ran around to Diablos's left-hand side. The GF's eyes followed her as she moved but made no attempt to stop her. Her dog, Angelo, ran beside her, but the woman put out her hand and the dog sat down. Diablos then turned his eyes and watched as Quistis, after a signal from Squall, ran over to his right-hand side. The swordsman himself took up his position in front of Diablos, forming a three-way attack formation.

The GF looked at the three as they stood around him. He waited for them to move.

Squall raised his sword. "Now!"

On his command, the three charged at Diablos. As they approached the GF spread his arms, and balls of _Demi_ magic began to form in each hand. He released them, throwing one at Squall and one at Rinoa. Rinoa managed to dodge the first ball but the second one burst near to Squall. The air around it contracted as reality itself seemed to bend. The swordsman felt its pull on him but fought against it. He managed to break free and continued his charge.

Grunting in annoyance, Diablos brought his palms together. He channelled all of his energy into his hands, preparing to use his ultimate attack.

Before he could use it there was the crack of a whip and a whiptail wrapped around Diablos's hands. The GF's hands were tugged right, and the sparks of energy that had started to form between them died out. Quistis put her free hand around the whiptail, holding it firmly so that Diablos could not pull it from her again. She pulled on the whip, pulling Diablos's hands towards her.

Beating his wings, Diablos tried to pull free. The GF started to rise up but then jerked forward as Rinoa's Pinwheel came at him from the left. It sharp edge ripped across his left wing, tearing a gaping hole in the already frayed wings. Diablos settled back down on the floor, and at Rinoa's whistle Angelo ran from her side and dived in. The dog clamped his jaws around the GF's ankle, yanking him firmly onto the ground. The GF looked down at the dog and kicked his leg, but Angelo would not budge. He tried to raise his hands to swipe the dog away, but Quistis's whip held them trapped.

Suddenly the GF gave a jolt and he froze, a wave of pain shooting through his body. The GF coughed, and a deep shudder went through him. He looked down. The blade of a sword was stuck in his gut, going all the way through him. Instead of blood, a black, shadowy substance leaked out of the wound and drifted over the blade.

Diablos raised his head. In front of him, Squall stared back with a fierce resolve, his gaze unwavering. Diablos cursed himself for his foolishness. The swordsman had been coming at him from the front; he should have been the least obvious. Yet the distractions from the other two, and the dog, had caused him to momentarily forget that he was there. Now Squall's sword was stuck through him: a simple, efficient blow to finish him off.

Diablos met Squall's gaze and saw no fear there. Now Diablos understood why Cid had passed on the lamp that contained and controlled his power. The GF was not fond of humans and deigned to serve them. It had taken the headmaster of Garden a long time to win the GF over. In the end, an agreement was made between the two, which stated that Diablos would serve human masters, but only those he deemed to be worthy of his power.

Squall withdrew his sword. After a moment Quistis tugged on her whip, and the whiptail unwound from Diablos's hands. The GF's arms fell limp at his sides. Diablos coughed. More of the cloudy substance drifted out of his grinning mouth.

It was a shame, Diablos thought. He would have liked to have tested these humans further, to show them his true might. However…

"Too much sleep…" he muttered. "Too weak…" The years he had spent sleeping inside the lamp had dulled his senses and his powers. It irritated him that it had done such, and that he had succumbed so easily. It could not be helped. Yet Diablos felt that even if he had fought at full strength, these humans could still have bested him.

Maybe.

Diablos raised his right hand and held it out, the palm face up. Squall came forward and rested his own hand in Diablos's. Quistis did the same, standing beside him.

Diablos then looked over at Rinoa, who had not yet come forward. The woman looked down, unsure, and then came over to stand next to Quistis. After a moment's hesitation, she too placed her hand in Diablos's.

When the spirit pact began, Rinoa stiffened. Unlike Squall and Quistis, she had never channelled a Guardian Force before, or used magic. She had expected the bonding of GF to human to be an unnerving experience, yet to her surprise it was nothing more than the passing sensation of thoughts as they moved through her mind. As the pact was completed, Rinoa's own thoughts raced through her mind. She was not even a SeeD, so was it right that she should accept the power of one?

Diablos's thoughts answered her question for her. _You fought alongside them. SeeD or no, you have proved yourself capable. You have the potential to be strong. Use my power well, human._ Then the voice was silent, and the pact was complete.

Diablos's body faded, returning to the shadows from which he had come. When he was gone the shadows too began to dissolve. The sky and the plain reappeared, along with Zell and Selphie, who cried out in amazement. The shadows retreated back inside the lamp, still lying on the grass. When the last of the shadows were inside the lamp it disappeared, fading into nothing.

Selphie ran over to them. "Are you all right!" she demanded. "What happened? Are you guys hurt? Rinoa, you look a little pale, are you okay?"

Squall said nothing and sheathed his gunblade. Quistis, meanwhile, put her hands on her hips and shook her head, sighing.

"Well," she began, "maybe next time you'll just look and not touch. Right, Rinoa?"

Rinoa did not reply. Quistis turned to her. She saw that Rinoa was just standing there, staring at her hand. Quistis smiled, correctly guessing that this was Rinoa's first up close encounter with Guardian Forces. Now that she had a GF of her own, she would be able to use para-magic like any other member of SeeD. A whole new world of abilities would be open to her now. Summoning GFs, and using magic. Still smiling, she turned to Squall.

The swordsman, however, turned away from her. At least he knew what the lamp did now. "Let's get some sleep," he said.

Quistis nodded and sat back down at the grass. She looked up at Rinoa who, after a moment, sat down again, continuing to stare at her hand. Quistis laughed.

Zell and Selphie looked from one to the other, bewildered. Selphie tilted her head. "I… don't get it."

* * *

When the sun came up the next morning, the companions cleared up their camp and continued on their journey to Galbadia Garden.

Now that Rinoa had a GF, Quistis entered what Selphie had nicknamed 'Instructor Mode'. The former SeeD instruct began to explain to Rinoa how to call on the GF in battle, and how to stock on and use various types of para-magic. Rinoa listened attentively, and asked Quistis many questions.

After consulting with Squall, Quistis allowed Rinoa to form pacts with the other Guardian Forces: Shiva, Quezacotl, Ifrit, and also Siren, whom Squall had obtained from Dollet. With these additional GF at her disposal, Quistis told Rinoa, she would find battle a much easier and exhilarating experience. Rinoa was thrilled.

She had a chance to test her new gifts along the way to the canyon. Another Cockatrice, possibly the same one that had attacked the day before, approached them. Without even being told what to do, Rinoa cast _Fire_ into her Pinwheel, transforming it into a flaming projectile. The Pinwheel had struck the Cockatrice, which shrieked as it fell into flames. With a wave of her hand, the Pinwheel returned to her, and the flames subsided. Quistis, awestruck at how quickly Rinoa adapted to the use of magic, proclaimed that Rinoa must have a 'natural' talent.

They headed along the plains. The grass started to thin and fade away, until it became the dry and dusty ground of the Lalapalooza Canyon. As the sun rose higher in the sky so did the temperature, with the sun's heat rising from the rocks.

The forest lay in a rift along the canyon wall. It was impossible to miss, for its tall, green trees were visible from even a few miles away. The companions headed towards it, and as they approached they saw that a natural path had formed by the entrance, leading into the forest.

The companions entered the forest, relieved to be out of the glare of the morning sun. All around them the forest was filled with life. The trees grew tall and packed together, with the treetops forming wide canopies to shield the ground from the sun's glare. Some light filtered down through the canopy, making dancing patterns on the grass.

There were few monsters inhabiting the forest, but it was abundant in wildlife. Selphie cried out in excitement as she spotted a deer grazing nearby. Of course, as soon as she cried out the deer jumped in alarm and ran away.

They carried on through the forest. After nearly hour of walking the end of the forest was in sight. Less than a mile ahead, through the dense trees, they caught a glimpse of bright sunlight. Quistis pointed towards it and said: "We're not too far from Galbadia Garden now!" They walked on.

Selphie stopped as a thought suddenly occurred to her. "Heeey," she said. The others also stopped and turned to her. "I was just thinking… There might be some bad news from the Galbadian government. What if we get caught and then get broadcast to the whole world…!" The young woman put her hands to her cheeks, flushed at the thought.

Squall sighed and put his hand to his head. Was that all Selphie was worried about?

Until that moment, Zell had remained quiet. Any attempts at conversation to draw him out of his gloom had ended in failure even by Selphie. Now, however, the fighter spun around and ran to Selphie, his fists clenched and his face angry.

"Whatever happens, happens!" he snapped. "Now, come on! Let's just keep going!"

Selphie flinched, just like the deer from earlier. Seeing the shock on the girl's face, Zell lowered his fists and stepped back from her.

"I, I'm worried about Balamb Garden," he said, by way of explanation. The fighter sagged, his face miserable. He shook his head. "If anything happens to Garden, it's all my fault. I'm the one who said we were all from Garden."

Selphie reached out to touch Zell's shoulder. Brushing her hand away, the fighter ran over to Squall. "You think the president will retaliate on Garden?" he asked, his face earnest.

Squall turned away and folded his arms. "Maybe," he answered.

At this Zell sagged again. "…Figures…" he mumbled. He started to turn away, but then he suddenly turned back and grabbed Squall's jacket, shaking him. "B-B-But, we have a whole bunch of SeeDs at Balamb Garden!" he protested. "They wouldn't lose to the Galbadian army, would they?"

"Depends on how strong the army is," Squall responded.

"I know," Zell said, "but…" His words fell silent. Misery returned to his face. He let go of Squall and turned away. He tried to clench his fists to salvage some spark of hope, but it slipped away. His fists unclenched, and he sagged once more. Selphie too turned away, her own face masked by worry.

Rinoa watched the exchange with growing frustration. She watched as Squall—callously, to her mind—brushed Zell aside. When she saw Zell appear to give up hope, it just made her livid. She turned to Squall, a scowl on her face.

"Oh, you're just a great leader, aren't you…" she said, making no attempt to hide the sarcasm from her voice. She walked towards Squall and Zell, sensing her anger, quickly stepped out of her way. Rinoa stood in front of Squall and glared up at him. "Do you actually have fun acting so callous towards your comrades?"

Squall sighed. _…Not again_, he thought to himself.

"Zell wants your support."

_I knew it was gonna be something like that…_

"Any kind of encouragement will make…"

_That's just to ease your mind. Am I the only one who thinks that? No, I'm sure Seifer…_

His thoughts were interrupted as Rinoa, overcome by her anger, stamped her foot. "Don't you ever worry or even think about the wellbeing of your comrades!"

_I don't believe in relying on others,_ Squall thought, though he would not say this out loud.

"Don't you understand!" Rinoa stamped her foot again.

…_Whatever._

"Are you listening, Squall?"

Before Squall could think any further, it happened. A loud whistle rang inside his head, hitting him so hard that he physically shuddered and staggered forward. Alarmed, Rinoa stepped back from him. The whistle grew louder and with it came the familiar pressure of something trying to force its way through his mind. Squall put his hands to his ears, trying to blot out the terrible sound.

…_What the!_ Squall shook his head. He keeled over, clutching at his head. _…This sensation…_

It was the same as before, just as it happened on the train from Balamb. Squall's vision started to blur, and the pressure was replaced by a strange, light-headed feeling, urging him to sleep.

He was aware of Rinoa calling his name. He tried to look up at her, but his body would not respond. The white fog smothered his vision, and Rinoa's voice echoed into nothing. Squall fell, feeling nothing as he hit the ground.

Rinoa, meanwhile, had no idea what had just happened. One second she had been reprimanding Squall and the next, he had just… collapsed! Recovering from her initial shock and her anger gone, she knelt down besides the swordsman. Squall lay still, slumped on the grass. Reaching out, she pulled back his brown hair and looked at his face. He looked peaceful, as though he was asleep.

"Uhh…"

The groan came from Quistis. Rinoa looked up as the instructor also put her hand to her head. She stepped forward, staggered, and then fell down onto the grass. Rinoa gasped. Zell ran to Quistis's side.

Selphie, also, could hear the whistle. She took a shaky step forward as she tried to keep her eyes open, but the desperate need for sleep was rapidly overcoming her.

"M… Me, too…" she managed to say, before she too fell facedown onto the grass.

Zell left Quistis's side and ran over to her. He pulled back her hair. As he expected, she seemed to be fast asleep, just like Quistis, and he knew that Squall would be the same.

"What's going on!" Rinoa demanded, her voice fearful.

Zell could only shake his head. "I think…" he said. "They went to the 'dream world'."

Rinoa opened her mouth to speak, but then she shut it and looked down at Squall. She had no idea what was going on, and she got the feeling that Zell did not know either. There was nothing neither she nor Zell could do now except to wait.

Wait for them to wake up again.

* * *

**[End of Part Two]**

**Coming Next: [Dream World: Centra Excavation Site]**


	26. Dream World: Centra Excavation Site

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Dream World: Centra Excavation Site**

"Kiros, you sure this is the place?" asked Ward.

"Positive.

Ward grunted as he climbed over a rock, continuing up the slope. "I don't wanna be patrolling the wrong place, like last time," he said. He shook his head, recalling how furious the Galbadian sergeant had been when he'd discovered his squad had gone off in entirely the wrong direction.

The two soldiers stepped over another rock and reached the top of the slope where Laguna was waiting for them. Stretched out in the valley ahead of them was a large excavation site. Built in the middle of nowhere, on the abandoned continent of Centra to the south, the land was little more than a wasteland. A great catastrophe had shaken the continent some eighty years earlier, devastating the land. Now all that remained was a barren land devoid of human life, though monsters were abundant here. For plantlife, there were a few withered forests where life was slowly beginning to return, but it was still a miserable and empty place to be.

Esthar, the technological superpower to the east, had taken an interest in the Centra continent in recent months. Reports telling of Esthar soldiers roaming about the barren land had made their way to the ears of the Galbadian government, and President Deling had ordered an immediate investigation to discover what the nation was planning.

Like with Timber, Galbadia and Esthar were also at war with each other. Galbadia, with its great military might, was making swift progress across the western continent. Esthar, to the east, had advanced technology and had also gained control of more than half of its own continent. There were also rumours, disturbing rumours, that the leader of the Esthar nation was a sorceress…

Laguna, Kiros and Ward were among those who had been dispatched from Galbadia to Centra to find out what the Estharians were planning. So far they had found out very little, for the Esthar soldiers were very good at masking their movements. All they had really found were the remains of campsites, and areas where, it seemed, the earth had been dug up.

The excavation site was one of those places. However, unlike the others, this one seemed to still be in operation. Large machinery specific for the digging and removal of rocks had been set up in the valley, as well as various other structures whose purpose Laguna could not even begin to guess. It looked promising.

Laguna looked out at the excavation site. Then he turned back to Kiros and Ward. "Ahh, sorry…" he said, with genuine sincerity. "This ain't the place."

Kiros folded his arms. "This is it," he said. "Let's go, commander."

But Laguna did not look convinced. He turned back to the site and then pulled out a map he had scrunched into his pocket. Their orders had been to scope out an Esthar encampment. In the briefing there had been no mention of a valley, or an excavation site, yet it was clearly here in front of him. It was also marked on the map, with the words 'excavation site – minimal enemy activity reported' scrawled in messy writing. No mention of an encampment anywhere. Laguna pushed the map back into his pocket before turning back to his friends, scratching his head, his face sheepish.

"I brought the wrong map," he confessed.

Kiros let out a deep groan and Ward slapped his hand to his forehead. Only Laguna would pick up the wrong map. This was just what had gone wrong during their last reconnaissance mission. Laguna had picked up the wrong map, and instead of scouting out the area they had ended up walking straight into an enemy camp!

Laguna put the map back into his pocket and scratched his head again. It couldn't be helped. These things happened. Yet, even so, Laguna could not help but feel strange. Looking out at the excavation site again, he was filled with a deep sense of unease, almost foreboding. And there, in the back of his mind, was the faint, familiar buzz, something he had not felt since leaving Deling City… and Julia. It was barely detectable, but it was still present.

"Somehow," the soldier said, thinking out his words. "I have a bad feeling about this…" He then frowned, thinking hard. The buzz subsided, and Laguna shook his head. "Nah, everything's cool…" he told himself. It was just this place, giving him the creeps. Placing his hands on his hips, he turned to Kiros and Ward. "Hey, make sure you guys are fully equipped."

Ward smirked and hefted his harpoon onto his shoulder, and Kiros flashed his two Katals. They did not need to be told to arm themselves, for the instinct was second nature to them. Laguna grinned at them and then checked his machinegun. The weapon was fully loaded, and he had spare cartridges in his magazine. He checked the safety; it was switched on. When the checks were finished Laguna raised his gun and rested it against his own shoulder, beaming at his friends.

"Well," he said, "we are on duty… Let's get a move on and check things out."

His friends nodded their agreement. It might be the wrong place, but since they were already here they might as well check the place out. Who knows, if the excavation site was of Esthar origin, they might find something worth reporting.

Laguna took the lead as he headed down the slope to the excavation site's main entrance. Kiros and Ward fell into step close behind him, keeping their weapons raised and their eyes scanning the perimeter for any signs of the enemy.

The entrance to the site was unguarded, and they were able to slip inside unseen. As they headed into the site proper, they realised that it wasn't just the entrance that was unguarded. The entire excavation site seemed to be deserted, with no signs of life anywhere.

The only things active in the site were the machines. Numerous grinders rumbled as they dug deep into the valley below. The churned up rocks were deposited on moving ramps that carried the rocks to the upper levels to be disposed of outside of the site. The entire ground near the site's entrance rumbled from deep beneath the earth, as more and more rock was pulled out from underground.

Stopping on one of the paths that had been set up over the machinery, the trio looked out. The grinders lined the valley walls, each one working away to deep deeper into the earth. There was nobody around to man the machines; they seemed to be working entirely on their own.

Laguna stepped up to the rail and peered over. Far below the path, he watched as mechanised vehicles moved across the ground, using powerful drills to help churn up the ground. It should have been unnerving to see these machines going around unmanned, but that was the way Esthar was. Their technology was so advanced they could make machines run on their own. It was also rumoured they were working on mechanical soldiers that would replace conventional ones. It was a technology the Galbadian government wanted badly for their own use.

"But seriously…" Laguna said as he looked down at the machines prowling the ground below. "This place is strange…" Turning his gaze back to the grinders, he waved his hand at them. "What the heck is this big pile of rocks? You think these are natural rocks used for carving tombstones?"

Kiros crossed his arms and sighed. "Who knows…" he replied. "Or cares?"

"Speaking of strange…" Ward said, going over to Laguna. "Why have you been… running around so strange?"

Since entering the excavation site, Laguna had been running in a very unusual fashion. His body hunched over, his arms on his hips to prevent his armour and gun from jiggling around too much. It had looked most bizarre.

"Strange…?" Laguna repeated. He looked evasive. "What do you mean strange?" His eyes flicked around the site, over the grinders, the machines, the path, the walls of rocks. He suppressed a shudder. "…Just bein' cautious. That's the basic rule of thu…"

A loud crash sounded from somewhere nearby. Laguna's words drifted off, and he turned back to the path. "…Hey?" He peered ahead.

Further down the path a figure had appeared and was running towards them. It was an Esthar soldier, kitted out from head to foot in silver armour that was enhanced by technology. It seemed that the site was not abandoned, after all.

"Looks like we've got company," Laguna said, voicing his thoughts. He drew his gun from its holster and clicked off the safety. "Esthar soldiers. Still wearin' those flashy uniforms." Facing the approaching soldier, he stood ready.

Behind them there came another loud crash. Laguna did not seem to notice, but Kiros and Ward both turned and looked back down the way they had come. Two more Esthar soldiers, dressed in the same silver armour, ran through the gate.

"Laguna…!" Ward shouted in warning, and raised his harpoon.

A third Esthar soldier entered and ran up behind the second party, making a total of four soldiers surrounding them. All four had the same enhanced armour, making it impossible to tell anything about the men who wore them. All they could be sure of was that each one of the soldiers was armed. This was not a welcoming party.

Laguna, his attention directed solely on the soldier in front, did not notice the soldiers that had come up behind them. "Don't be such a wimp!" he said in scolding tones. Then he did turn around, and when he saw the additional three soldiers he jumped, his body stiffening. "What the…?"

The first soldier, now behind the group, raised his weapon and charged. The most traditional Esthar weapon was a short and stubby sword that had gun barrels built along the edge like a shotgun. It was an alternative design to the gunblade that was much easier to handle, and thanks to the enhancements by Esthar its blade did not dull and its shotgun produced more force than the average gunblade.

Laguna turned in time to meet the soldier head on. The Esthar soldier raised his weapon, aiming to bring the blade down on Laguna's unguarded head.

Lifting his machinegun over his head, Laguna blocked the sword's downward strike. Looking into the Esthar soldier's masked face Laguna felt a chill. Esthar armour was like a full body suit, and the masks covered their faces entirely. Through the plated slots that were its eyes, Laguna could only see his reflection looking back at him. It was haunting to look at.

Laguna pushed back against the soldier and forced him back. Physically, Esthar soldiers were often weaker than their Galbadian counterparts. This was because Esthar soldiers relied too heavily upon their enhanced armour for strength and protection, and neglected to work on their own bodies. As a result, most Esthar soldiers were slender and physically weak in comparison to Galbadian soldiers.

Lowering his gun, Laguna rammed the barrel into the gut of the Esthar soldier. His opponent coughed and keeled over, and then groaned as Laguna delivered another blow to his gut, this time with his knee. With a yell Laguna struck the soldier in the face, cracking the mask, before giving the soldier another shove towards the rail. The Esthar soldier staggered back and lost his balance. He tumbled over the rail, yelling as he fell to the rock depths.

The remaining Esthar soldiers stared as their comrade was pushed to his death. Then they snapped out of their reverie and raised their weapons, the shotguns clicking as they loaded.

Kiros glanced back at Laguna. "Wasn't our mission just to patrol…?" he asked.

"Why does it have to turn out like this?" said Ward.

With a sigh, Laguna turned to the three soldiers. "Seriously…" he replied. "I wasn't expecting this at all!"

The three soldiers charged, and the air was filled with the loud clash of blades on blades, grunting soldiers, and raining gunfire. The Galbadian soldiers fought with all their strength, making no effort to quieten their moves now that they had been discovered. After all, what was the point now?

Kiros dropped and rolled, and as he rose his swung his Katals and slashed against the ankle of an Esthar soldier. His opponent crumpled with an anguished cry, clutching at his ankle. A mixture of blood and a silvery fluid—the armour's power source, leaked from the gap. Kiros spun and kicked the soldier in the middle of his back, pushing him over the edge.

Across from him, Ward dropped his harpoon and grabbed hold of another of the soldiers. With a groan he lifted the soldier off the ground and held him high over his head. The Esthar soldier kicked and struggled, trying to break free of Ward's grip as the Galbadian carried him over to the edge of the path. With a mighty heave, he threw the soldier over the rail. The soldier fell and hit the grinder. He rolled off, joining his two comrades on the ground below.

The last solder swiped his sword, cutting Laguna a glancing blow on his forearm. The blade's edge cut through the blue fabric of his uniform, and Laguna winced. With a cry Laguna charged. He rammed into the soldier, knocking him off balance and forcing him back. Laguna's momentum meant he went with him, and Kiros and Ward had to pull out of the way as the two came barrelling past.

The two soldiers slammed into a nearby pillar. The Esthar soldier's head _cracked_ against it. As Laguna pulled back he shuddered and then slumped onto the floor. His weapon slipped from his fingers.

Laguna kicked the sword away, letting it slide underneath a box containing ground up rocks from the ground. The soldier smirked, smug, and went over to rejoin his comrades. Ward was giving him a pitiful look, and Kiros was shaking his head. Only Laguna would body slam an enemy into submission. Laguna flushed and scratched his head. What did it matter as long as the job was done, right?

Another shout sounded from outside the excavation site. The three soldiers turned towards the exit, to where a number of Esthar soldiers were making their way down the slope. One of them raised his weapon and fired a round. It clanged off the rails.

"There's more coming…?" said Ward. He bent over and picked up his harpoon.

"There's no end to this!" Kiros exclaimed. He wiped his Katals on his trousers and stood ready.

Laguna had other ideas. Sheathing his gun, he said: "Better make a run for it!" and then turned and fled into the site. Kiros and Ward shared a glance before they too began to run, following Laguna.

The trio ran down the path, heading deeper into the excavation site. The Esthar soldiers running down the slope opened fire in an attempt to halt the Galbadians in their tracks. One bullet whizzed past Ward's ear, passing so close he could feel he air whoosh past him.

Further ahead the path split into three. The paths to the left and right seemed to lead to dead ends, but the path straight ahead led to a large hole that had been drilled into the rock. A ladder was positioned at the entrance. Laguna reached it first and immediately began to climb down. Kiros climbed down after him, with Ward coming last. The gunfire continued to rain overhead but then came to an end as the Esthar soldiers realised the intruders had escaped.

They climbed down through the hole and emerged inside a large tunnel. From a glance they knew immediately that this tunnel had not been carved by the Estharians. The walls looked rough but were strangely smooth, almost like crystal. They emitted the same green-white glow, and the light danced along the walls. However, there was no time to stop and examine them, and the soldiers hurried on down the tunnel.

They had only run a short distance when they came across three hatches built into the ground. At first Laguna paid them no attention, but when he ran across the middle hatch he heard a faint _click_, and the hatch depressed under his weight. Laguna stopped running and turned back to the hatch.

"Hmm…?" The soldier knelt down next to it. He pressed it with his hand, and the hatch moved. Laguna removed his hand and examined the lever that kept the latch in place. His suspicions were confirmed. "The lever on the hatch is loose…" he muttered. He frowned, thinking, and then slammed his fist into his palm. "…! I know! If we use this… Some stubborn Esthar fool won't be able to come after us!"

Behind him, Kiros and Ward stood waiting, impatient to move on. "What the heck are you up to?" Kiros asked Laguna.

"Somethin' stupid again, I bet," said Ward with a snigger.

Laguna's lips pursed together, and then he let out a deep, dramatic sigh. "You guys…" he said, with almost sincere pity. "You're gonna regret sayin' that. They say, the one who makes fun of a genius will end up cryin' in the end."

Kiros and Ward looked at each other, confused. "…So who's the… genius…?" asked Ward. Kiros chuckled.

"Erghhhhhh!" Laguna stood and turned to face them, stamping his foot. "Just shut up! ANYWAY! The lever for this hatch is broken. So if we just loosen it a bit more…"

Kiros latched onto his train of thought. "When they come after use from that side and…"

"YES! Youuu guessed it! They'll walk over it without expecting a thing! Then, all of a sudden, WHOOPS!" Laguna moved his hands to show the hatch falling open, and a figure dropping through the hole. "…And down they go. I have to admit. I really am a genius."

"Heh… Like the Esthar soldiers are really gonna fall for this trap," Ward chuckled.

"We won't know until we try!" Laguna told him in scolding tones. "And those who never try will never know. So… I'm gonna do it! Just remember, if we tamper with this lever we won't be able to make it back to the other side. It'd be idiotic to fall for our own trap…" The soldier knelt back down beside the hatch. "So, here it goes… You guys, stand back."

His friends did as they were told and stood well back. Laguna reached over and began to turn the bolt holding the lever in place. He turned it until the lever slipped free. For a moment he feared the hatch would drop with it, but it remained in place. "There!" Laguna said in triumph. He rubbed his nose and grinned up at Kiros and Ward, who rolled their eyes. The three soldiers then ran on ahead.

Their trap came into use quicker than they expected, although they did not know it. A lone Esthar soldier, after climbing down the ladder, ran down the tunnel in pursuit of the soldiers. He ran across the hatches, not suspecting a thing. When he ran over the middle hatch it fell open, just as Laguna had predicted. Before he knew what was happening, the soldier fell through the hole, disappearing into the depths beyond.

Meanwhile, Laguna, Kiros and Ward continued to make their way through the tunnel. Every so often the tunnel would split into two or even three and they were forced to choose which way they should go. It was like a maze, deep under the ground, and the same question was running through their minds:

_What was this place?_

It was a question to which they could find no answer. At first they thought the tunnels were naturally made, but they were too perfectly constructed to be made by nature. Add to that the hatches built into the ground, and the various other structures they found littered about in the tunnels… there was no way this place was naturally made.

They did find some things that were made by man. As they ascended an upward slope they came across a small device lying in the middle of the path. A small black box with two switches, and wires that led across the ground. One of the wires led to a large boulder by the wall, locked in place by a small pile of rocks.

"The heck's this?" Laguna asked, as they stopped to examine the box. "A blue and red switch, and two fuses…?"

"A detonator…?" replied Kiros. "You know."

"Ohhh, I get it," said Laguna, snapping his fingers. "This short blue fuse is for that boulder…" He pointed to the nearby boulder. "And the long red fuse is for the boulder further down?" The soldier crossed his arms, thinking. A smile spread on his face.

Ward saw that smile and jumped back in alarm. "Hey, man…! Are you crazy! You don't even know how powerful that thing will be!"

In response, Laguna waved his hand. "Ahh, I bet it's not all that," he said. "The detonator's right here, so as long as we stay behind it, we'll be all right."

"Well… I guess so…"

Ignoring Ward's obvious concern, Laguna turned back to the detonator. "Let's see…" he muttered, kneeling down beside it. "What to do…"

If they were to use the detonator to blow the boulders loose, they could cause more even trouble for the Estharians. The boulder further down, which they had passed on the way here, was positioned next to a sloping tunnel. Blowing that one first would cause that boulder to go down the tunnel, chasing off any soldiers who might be coming up that way. Yes, Laguna decided. That would be the best one to blow first.

He flicked the red switch. Turning to his comrades, he said: "The bomb blast won't reach us here. Just stay put."

He had no sooner finished speaking when an enormous explosion rocked the cavern. It was incredibly loud, bursting their eardrums, and carried so much force that the tunnel shook from top to bottom. The ground trembled, lurching down and then heaving upwards, as though it was being ripped up from its foundations.

"W-W-W-WHAT!" Laguna cried. He waved his arms, trying to keep from falling over.

Down in the tunnel they had just passed, the fuse had detonated the pile of rocks keeping the other boulder in place. Without the rocks the boulder rolled forward. When it reached the slope it swerved and rumbled down, gaining in speed.

At that particular moment, an Esthar soldier had been trying to use the tunnel as a shortcut. When he saw the boulder rolling towards him, he threw down his weapon and fled as fast as he could go. The boulder gained momentum and when the soldier looked back he jumped and pushed himself further.

They broke out of the tunnel, re-emerging on the lower path. A smaller tunnel had been drilled into the wall, and the soldier ran through. The boulder slammed into the wall and jammed into the hole. It was too big to fit through the hole, but it made an effective plug, sealing the soldier on the other side.

"That was… awfully loud," Kiros commented once the shaking had stopped.

"Lucky we were here," Ward agreed.

Turning to them, Laguna put his hands on his hips. "That's what I told you before!" he scolded them. "You should always check how powerful the thing could be…"

Ward raised an eyebrow. "Wasn't that… me, who said that?"

Laguna's eyes flicked right, and he scratched his head. He stammered. "…Uh… Ah… Hm… Anyway, we're still alive, right!"

The soldier then abruptly turned away, leaving Kiros and Ward to chuckle behind his back. Laguna then knelt back beside the detonator and looked at the one remaining blue switch. The fuse for this switch led to the boulder just near to them. If the explosion for this one was as strong as the other, then they did not want to be anywhere near once the fuse was activated. Laguna rubbed his chin and then, almost like an afterthought, he flicked the blue switch. He turned to Kiros and Ward.

"It's gonna blow!" he shouted. "Run for it!"

Kiros and Ward both watched as Laguna then legged it from the tunnel, up the slope and through the door at the other end. When they realised what was happening they too ran, almost tripping over their feet in their hurry to make it out before the detonator went off.

The detonator made a soft _click._ On the path, the few rocks that were holding the boulder in place slipped out of the way, allowing the boulder to roll forward. It moved slowly at first but then gained speed, rolling back down the tunnel.

Two more Esthar soldiers were making their way towards the tunnel. When they saw the boulder come rolling down the slope towards them, they turned and fled the way they came. One of the soldiers bypassed the slopes and ran straight ahead. His comrade, meanwhile, turned and headed down the sloping path where the previous boulder had gone before.

As with the other boulder, the larger rock also swerved and rolled towards the slope. However, unlike its smaller counterpart, this boulder was too large to fit through the tunnel. When it hit the wall it stopped, fitting perfectly over the tunnel entrance. The Esthar soldier, on the other side, was trapped.

Laguna, Kiros and Ward waited a few more moments before going back into the tunnel. At first they thought the second detonator was a dud, but they saw that the boulder had gone, and there was nothing left but themselves and the detonator.

"That was… awfully quiet," said Kiros, voicing his thoughts.

Ward crossed his arms. "I was expecting a blast of some sort…"

Laguna knelt down and gave the detonator a tap. With both the fuses used up, the machine had now turned itself off. He stood and turned back to his friends. "See! I told you!" he said. "I told you it wasn't all that powerful!"

Ward groaned and slapped a hand to his forehead. Laguna was a brilliant leader, but had such a selective memory at times.

The soldiers left the tunnel and headed up the slope. The next room was a very large open cavern, with a long set of stairs leading to a bridge that passed over the cavern to another tunnel built high up the cavern wall.

There was a lot of light filling the cavern, but none of it came from any manmade source. The light came from the walls themselves, just like the tunnels. The colours here, however, were more varied, with blues and greens and yellows, and even pinks in some places. Laguna and his companions stopped halfway up the steps and looked around the cavern, at the myriad of colours swirling around them. This place was almost unreal. They had never heard of anything like it. Luminous rocks that radiated light of all colours. If they didn't know better, they would have said this place wasn't from their world at all, but from someplace else.

There were, of course, things that reminded them that they were on their world. An Elastoid, an Esthar weapon, was patrolling the cavern. Monstrously huge, with for long and pliable legs like tentacles, floating through the air on an anti-gravity engine; the Elastoid was one of Esthar's anti-personnel weapons. It was bad news.

Laguna and his friends waited for the Elastoid to pass by, and then ran across the bridge while its attention was elsewhere. They did not stop to admire the scenery any further, and hurried into the tunnel at the other end.

The next tunnel they entered sloped upwards. In fact, Laguna realised, they had been going up for quite a while now. How much further did this place go up?

Another boulder was to be found in this tunnel, perched precariously at the top of a steep down slope branching off the path. Laguna stopped next to it and crossed his arms. There were no detonators or fuses attached to this one, so why was it here?

With that thought in mind, Laguna reached out and patted the boulder with his hand. As soon as he touched it the boulder shuddered and slipped free. The soldier cried out in alarm as it lurched forward and then slipped onto the slope. It rolled rapidly, vanishing into the glowing depths. A second after it disappeared he heard someone cry out, and the crash of the boulder smashing into something.

"Phew, that was close…" said Laguna. He wiped his brow.

"Geez…" Ward moaned, giving Laguna a stern gaze. "You have to go around touching everything like a little kid, don't you?"

"Chill out a little, will you…?" Kiros advised, folding his arms.

Scowling, Laguna spun to face them. "WHATEVER-MAN!" he snapped back. "Thanks to ME, those Esthar soldiers and that rock are history. It's like killing two pigs with one stone." The soldier put his hands on his hips, holding his head high. "I am just so awesome… Genius, I tell you…"

Kiros and Ward looked at each other in confusion. "Pigs…" Ward repeated. He scratched his head, brow creased.

"Don't you mean… birds?" Kiros corrected him.

Laguna turned his back on them. Let them say what they wanted; he knew he was a genius and as long as he knew it, nothing else mattered.

The soldiers headed on through the tunnel. At the top of the tunnel the path split into two, with one path heading deeper into the site, while another led to some steps going upwards. At the top of the steps sunlight, and not the glow of the rocks, could be seen. The Galbadians ran up the steps. They had had enough of this place.

The path came out on a rocky cliff outside of the excavation site. The three soldiers were relieved when they felt the warmth of the sun on their faces and not the myriad glow of luminescent rocks. A cool wind blew past them, and the three soldiers spread their arms and took long, deep breaths of cool, refreshing air. They could taste salt in the air; they must be somewhere near the ocean.

They could not relax for long. Marching footsteps came clattering up the footsteps. The three soldiers dropped their arms and turned to face the two Esthar soldiers who had just run up behind them.

"Don't tell me…" muttered Laguna.

"Of all the worst possible…" said Kiros.

"…Predicaments," Ward finished.

They reached for their weapons.

* * *

Laguna grunted as he took another small step forward. His boot landed on a small rock, which slipped aside and Laguna wobbled, almost losing his balance. The soldier paused, gathered his breath, and then began to walk once again to the cliff edge.

On his left side was Kiros. Bloodied, wounded, the soldier panted heavily as he allowed Laguna to carry him towards the cliff. On Laguna's right side, Ward was in the same bad shape. The large man's bandana had been torn and his lip was bust, letting blood trickle down his jaw. Ward's breath was hoarse, and he could not walk either.

Both of Laguna's friends were in pretty bad shape. The final battle against the Esthar soldiers had been more than they expected. One of the soldiers had more advanced weaponry than the other, as well as the physical strength to carry it. Before succumbing to defeat, the soldier had launched one more devastating assault. The attack had left both Kiros and Ward wounded on the ground, the strength gone from their bodies.

It was Laguna who picked up his friends and carried them towards the cliff edge. It was a struggle, for Ward in particular was much heavier than Laguna, but the soldier did not give in and kept on moving towards the edge

When he reached the cliff's edge, Laguna lowered his arms and let Kiros and Ward slip onto the ground. He also dropped, falling down between them. His arms and legs burned, and his throat ached with thirst. He licked his lips. Laguna lay there for a moment, catching his breath, before he raised his head and looked out over the cliff.

Stretching out before him was the ocean. The beautiful ocean. The waters were as blue as they were on the shores of Galbadia. The sunlight danced on the ripples and the waves, making it sparkle. It almost brought tears to Laguna's eyes, if he had the energy left to make them.

"Look," he said to his friends, his own voice hoarse and dry. "The ocean… We're saved! Lady Luck is on our side! We can escape to Galbadia!"

Beside him, Kiros coughed. "One would say we've been run down…" the soldier muttered. "That's what they'd normally say…"

Laguna glanced at him, and then forced himself to his feet. His muscles screamed in protest, but Laguna grit his teeth and fought against the burning desire to let himself fall to the ground. When he lifted his head his vision swam, but he fought that, too. Raising his head in defiance, he turned to Kiros.

"Don't say that," he said. "It might come true. Didn't your grandmother tell you that?"

Weakly, Kiros lifted his head. There was a cut on his forehead, just above his eyebrow. It started to bleed again as the soldier frowned in thought, trying to recall all the old stories he had been told as a child.

"…If you say something bad… It will come true… Yeah, I think she did."

On Laguna's other side, Ward groaned. "Ggghh… rrrhhh…"

Laguna looked down at him. "What'd you say?" he asked.

"I think…" Kiros murmured. "His throat… was injured… He lost… his voice." Kiros's own voice was barely more than a whisper.

Laguna looked down at his friend. There was a horrific bruise forming along Ward's throat, passing right across the Adam's apple. In the heat of the battle Laguna could only vaguely recall Ward crying out, but he had been too busy with his own fight to see what had happened. Ward groaned again and tried to speak.

"It… wa… fu… you…"

Laguna leaned over to listen. "Say again?"

Ward swallowed, winced, and tried to speak once more. His words were broken, his voice rasping. It seemed as though he was using every last ounce of his will to get the words out of his mouth.

"It… was… fun… you… guys… La…guna… Ki…ros… It… was… fun…" Then he fell silent.

Laguna stood up straight and frowned down at his friend. "Ward, that's way uncool," he said, almost harshly. "It's not cool to say things like that. Just for that, you're gettin' the Cuch-Cuchi treatment!" The soldier knelt down again and began to tickle Ward under his chin. "How's that, huh! Want more! Well!"

But Ward said nothing in reply. Normally, he would bat Laguna away and shout at him to stop fooling around. Now, though, Ward said nothing, and he did not bat Laguna away. Laguna stopped and looked down at his friend. His eyes, which were always playful, now looked at his friend in sympathy. He patted Ward on the shoulder before standing up and walking to the cliff's edge. He peered down.

At the foot of the cliff was a large, rocky bay. Here the water crashed in large waves. On either side of the cliff, the land extended out into the water. Esthar ships, recognisable from their sleek, streamlined forms, were docked into the bay. This was how the Esthar soldiers made it to and from the site.

"WHOA!" exclaimed Laguna. "Check it out, a boat! We're gettin' on!"

"A… vessel…" Kiros murmured behind him. "…They'd… normally… call… it…"

Laguna waved his hand. "Boat, vessel, whatever. We're going back to Galbadia!"

The soldier turned away from the cliff. One at a time, he helped drag Kiros and Ward onto their feet and led them to the cliff's edge. With a grunt and a heave, Laguna threw them both off the cliff. The two soldiers dropped like stones all the way down to the bottom. They splashed into the sea, disappearing beneath the waves. After a few moments the two surfaced and began to swim, weakly, to the shore.

Laguna watched his friends. "You guys… sure have guts," he said. "You know how high this cliff is…!" Of course, it was him who threw them down there, but they could have fought back if they didn't agree, right?

Laguna peered over the ledge. The cliff wall was rough and rugged, with numerous jutting rocks. Laguna sat down and climbed carefully over the edge, positioning his feet on the cliff wall. He started to climb down.

His boot slipped on a loose rock.

"Oh… Sh…"

Laguna tried to grab the ledge. His fingers lost their grip.

"No way!"

Laguna fell back away from the cliff. He tumbled, headfirst, towards the churning waters below. His scream echoed around the valley.

"AHHHH!"

He hit the water with a loud splash. The waters closed in over his head, a mass of white and blue. Bubbles swarmed around him and he thrashed, fighting against the current of the water.

The sunlight turned to darkness as he sank deeper into the water. The water was cold, and he couldn't breathe.

The darkness closed in on him. Laguna stopped struggling and lay, suspended in the water, waiting for its darkness to take him.

* * *

**[End of Dream World: Centra Excavation Site]**

**Coming Next: [Part Three: Assassinate the Sorceress]**


	27. Part 03: Chapter 24

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Part Three: Assassinate the Sorceress**

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Zell paced the forest floor, mumbling to himself. Behind him, a groove had formed in the grass where he had paced. Every so often he stopped and looked back at Squall and the others. He did not dare move them, and so had left them right where they had fallen. When he saw that they were still asleep he thrust his hands deeper into his pockets and continued his endless pacing.

Rinoa, after doing everything she could to make sure the three were comfortable, walked ahead and looked out at the forest. No monsters appeared. She wasn't sure if she and Zell could protect the others by themselves. Zell was confident, of course, and Rinoa had come to learn a few things about him and SeeD during the time the others were unconscious. After a while the conversation dried up, and so Rinoa kept her eyes on the forest, watching out for monsters.

Almost an hour went by before Squall opened his eyes and climbed to his feet. Quistis also awoke, and a moment later Selphie also stood up. The young girl yawned and stretched, feeling refreshed.

"Was it Laguna again…?" Zell demanded as the three stood up.

Selphie rubbed her eyes. "Sir Laguna's in BIG TROUBLE!" she told him. "I hope he'll be okay." Zell folded his arms and nodded, also looking concerned.

"Doesn't seem like the first time for you all," said Quistis, as she observed how calmly Squall and the others were taking the situation. "What is this?" Zell shrugged in response, indicating that he did not know.

Squall, listening, turned away from them. _If it were just me,_ he thought, _I could tell the others it was only a crazy dream…_

But it wasn't just him. It involved Zell and Selphie, and now Quistis, too. Squall crossed his arms, frowning in thought. This was the second time it had happened, with the same three men—Laguna, Kiros and Ward—involved. Was it just a crazy dream, or did it hold some special significance? Either way, it could not be a coincidence. Would Rinoa be affected next?

All these questions and more ran through Squall's mind, but there were no answers. It was impossible to guess without even knowing just what it was they were experiencing. "We'll just be wasting our time trying to figure it out," he told the others. "Let's keep going."

"Yeah, let's go!" said Zell, seeming his usual, loud self. "I think we're almost there." The fighter than turned away and ran down the path, heading towards the exit. Selphie and Quistis ran after him. Angelo chased after them all, barking.

Only Squall and Rinoa remained on the path. Squall crossed his arms again. He knew that he was just ignoring the problem, brushing it under the metaphorical carpet, but what else could he do? Besides, he had his orders. Rinoa had to be taken someplace safe, and that safe place was Galbadia Garden. He could worry about this issue with Laguna after their other business was complete.

He became aware of Rinoa looking at him. Then she approached him and stood in front of him. The woman clasped her hands behind her back, looking down at the floor. Then she raised her head and looked him in the eyes. Squall stared back at her, wondering why she was staring at him so.

"Um… Squall…" Rinoa said. "I think I may have said too much. I'm sorry."

So that was it. Squall shrugged. "Forget about it."

* * *

On the other side of the Lalapalooza and Yaulny Canyons lay the vast Monterosa Plateau. A land that was flat and barren, it offered very little in the means of natural plant-life. There was little water here, and so the ground had become dry and cracked. What little grass grew was pale, struggling to survive. The only life that thrived on the Plateau was the monsters, whose bodies had become acclimatised to the harsh landscape.

With the Yaulny Canyon to the east, the Lalapalooza Canyon to the south and west, and the rocky cliffs of the Monterosa Cape to the north, the plateau was almost completely inaccessible. It seemed an unlikely place to build a Garden and yet there it was, nestled at the base of a small valley to the west of the Plateau.

One theory suggested that it was because of the Galbadian government that the Garden was built there. For unlike Balamb Garden, which operated under its own rule by Headmaster Cid, Galbadia Garden was strictly regulated by the Galbadian government. All of the Garden's missions were sanctioned by the government, as a means of 'keeping tabs' on their activities.

Instead of training SeeDs, who were masters of magic and weaponry, the students of Galbadia were trained in the more technological aspects of fighting. Guns and heavy artillery were the preferred weapons of choice for students of Galbadia Garden, and those who graduated would either continue their study in the further development of these weapons, or transferred straight into the Galbadian military. Only a very basic magic programme was included in the Garden's curriculum, and students were often discouraged from taking it.

The Garden did, of course, have its advantages. With its activities strictly monitored by the government, the students who graduated their gruelling courses were often more disciplined. Galbadia Garden had a higher success rate in its missions than its companions to the east. Its graduates were skilled and highly disciplined, and it was said that any who sought personal advancement should study at Galbadia Garden.

The companions crossed the plateau and approached Galbadia Garden. The Garden struck an imposing presence in the otherwise empty land. Unlike Balamb Garden, whose signature colours were blue and silver, Galbadia Garden's colours were red and silver. Rinoa stopped and looked up at it. The sunlight shone on the Garden's metal surface, but it did not seem to offer any warmth to its metal body.

Her gaze turned higher. Up in the air above her, a Galbadia Garden instructor rode a motorised vehicle through the air. The vehicle looked much like a chair that flew through the air, but Rinoa could see that there were weapons built in to its structure. A number of students, riding the same armed vehicles, flew alongside the instructor.

Like Balamb Garden, flower gardens ran just outside of the building. The gardens were small and well ordered, although they lacked the freedom and vibrancy of colour that the gardens of Balamb had. This was partly due to the humid air of the Monterosa Plateau, which made it difficult for plants to grow properly. In Balamb, the students were encouraged to take pride in their gardens, which were a symbol of their name. In Galbadia, these gardens were just for show.

The group passed through the Garden entrance and approached the turnstiles. Beyond was the lobby, where the symbol of Galbadia Garden was painted on the ground. A golden light shone down from an upturned dome on the ceiling. It fell on the Garden symbol, making it seem to glow.

Selphie ran to the turnstiles. There she stopped and looked around in awe. Now that she was here, this meant that she had seen all the world's Gardens. "Whoa…" she breathed, her jaw hanging open. "Completely different…"

"Sure is quiet," Zell observed.

Squall peered beyond into the lobby. It was indeed very quiet. Only a few students could be seen walking around, and they walked in almost complete silence. When they did talk it was in low, hushed voices. A complete change from the students of Balamb who, although not rowdy (with the exception of Zell!), were often loud. This place seemed a nice change, and…

"…I like it," said Squall, finishing his thoughts out loud.

Rinoa covered her mouth and giggled. Somehow, she knew that Squall would find the well-ordered and quiet atmosphere of Galbadia Garden appealing.

Quistis walked past Rinoa and stopped by the turnstiles. She turned back to the others. "Can you leave this one up to me?" she asked. "I've been here several times, and I know the headmaster pretty well."

Squall nodded. It was probably best that Quistis dealt with this situation. She was the better diplomat, and her previous experience here gave her an additional advantage. Quistis turned and placed her ID card on the scanner, and then passed through the gate. There she stopped and turned back once more.

"I'll go and explain our situation," she told then, and then headed into the Garden.

They watched as the former instructor crossed the lobby and walked down a corridor on the other side. When she was gone Zell and Selphie shared a glance before pulling out their own ID cards. They passed them over the scanner and ran through. They looked around for a moment and then ran off to the right, using this time to explore the Garden.

Rinoa and Squall were still outside the gate. Rinoa walked up to the turnstile and then turned to Squall, folding her hands behind her back. She smiled. Unlike Balamb Garden, which allowed visitors to come and go freely, Galbadia Garden was different. The Garden did not allow any unauthorised access, and visitors were not allowed to go anywhere without a Garden member present. SeeD of course were excluded from this, but this meant that Rinoa could not even enter the Garden unless Squall allowed her to.

Squall used his card and passed through the turnstile. He then used it to unlock the visitor's gate so that Rinoa could also enter.

As soon as it was unlocked Rinoa went through and ran straight into the main lobby. Angelo bounded after her. Sensing the questioning gaze of the students, Rinoa knelt down and put Angelo back on his leash, keeping him close to her side. Then she stood and looked back at Squall. She was still smiling.

Squall stared back at her. It was not hard to guess what Rinoa was waiting for. She was waiting for him to join her and explore the Garden with her. Instead of waiting for her to make it a 'client's order' Squall reluctantly joined her, and together they began to explore Galbadia Garden.

There were four paths leading away from the lobby, one at each main point of the compass. The path to the south was the way they had come. The one to the north was where Quistis went. Zell and Selphie were just heading down the eastern corridor, so Squall and Rinoa headed left, and took the western corridor.

Galbadia Garden was just as different inside as it was outside. Balamb Garden was filled with gardens, and all the corridors on the 1F were open-air, allowing fresh air to constantly circulate through the building. The corridors of Galbadia Garden were closed, with plain metal walls and floors, and little decoration anywhere. Garden staff stood guard outside the rooms that were inaccessible, and the few students around were silent. It was more what Squall expected of a military academy, and he found himself almost missing the bright, airy atmosphere of Balamb.

As they walked Rinoa tried to ask Squall questions about Galbadia Garden, but there was little that he could tell her. All he really knew was that Galbadia and Balamb Garden were both built around the same time and that, unlike Balamb, they did not endorse the use of Guardian Forces. As for Trabia Garden, Squall knew even less. All he knew of that was its name, and that it was somewhere on the eastern continent.

They continued to explore. Unfortunately most of the rooms on the western corridor were shut off, so after a while they turned and headed back to the lobby. Once there Rinoa left Squall and walked forward to the heart of the lobby, where the golden light fell down on the Galbadia Garden symbol.

Rinoa placed her hand into the light. She looked up at the ceiling, which formed a dome over the lobby. The Garden symbol was also painted there but in a smaller scale, around the light. A walkway was built halfway up, making up the 2F. Anyone walking along the walkway would be able to see right down into the lobby. So far the lobby was the most attractive place in the building. Here there was light and warmth, space and small gardens. Rinoa spread her arms and stretched, and then jumped as a voice spoke on the PA system.

"Attention. SeeD party from Balamb Garden: Please wait in the 2F reception room. Attention. SeeD party from Balamb Garden: Please wait in the 2F reception room."

Squall, who had been watching Rinoa, said: "Let's go."

Rinoa nodded and went over to join him. "Where is the reception room?" she asked.

Squall folded his arms and looked away. That was a good question. It was easy for the announcer to say they should go to the 2F reception room… but where was it? On the 2F, but that was obvious.

He heard the sound of running footsteps and looked up to see Zell and Selphie running up from the eastern corridor. An instructor, on his way to his lecture, gave them a disapproving look as they ran past him.

"Did you hear the announcement?" Zell asked as he ran up. Squall nodded.

"They must have made their decision already!" said Selphie, excited. She jumped up and down. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!" She clapped her hands together, but then she stopped and tilted her head. "But, um… where is the reception room?"

Rinoa giggled.

Squall sighed. Some help they were. He looked around the lobby. A girl, dressed in the dark blue uniform and red neck tie of a Galbadia Garden student, was just entering the northern corridor. Motioning for the others to follow him, Squall ran over to the girl and asked her for directions to the reception room.

The girl nodded pointed to a set of stairs that lay just inside the corridor. "The reception room is just up those stairs," she told him. Squall thanked her, and the girl went on her way.

He led the others up the stairs onto the 2F. At the top there was a long corridor. If they went to the right, they would come to a lift. Going to the left would take them back to the lobby, onto the large walkway that encircled it.

There was only one room on the corridor itself. A member of the Garden staff stood guard in front of it. He seemed to recognise the group immediately, for as they entered the corridor he gestured for them to come over.

"This is the reception room," he said in a gruff manner, jerking his thumb at the door. "Please wait here until you hear from the master." The staff member then stepped away from the door. He pushed a button, and the door slid open.

The group went inside the reception room. It was a large area, with two sofas and a glass table in the middle of the room. The right-side wall was missing, and in its place was a large window, looking out into the Garden's basketball court. Selphie went over to the window and looked out. To her disappointment, nobody was playing today.

Zell went over to the sofa and sat down. He folded his arms across his chest and tapped his foot against the floor. Squall leaned against a wide dressing table next to the door. He looked down at the ground, thinking.

Kneeling down, Rinoa let Angelo off his leash. The dog looked up at her and licked her hand before he padded off. He lay down behind the sofa where Zell sat and put his head on his paws, tired out from the long walk. Rinoa gave him a pet and then walked to the other side of the room to look at some pictures hanging on the back wall. They were not very interesting: pictures of former students, awards for military excellence sent by the Galbadian army… that sort of thing.

And so they waited. Time ticked by. Everyone in the room was silent. The only sound was the _tick-tick_ of the clock on the wall, and the occasional whimper from Angelo as he slept.

Zell's feet tapped on the floor, in synch with the clock's rhythmic ticking. His fingers drummed against his arm. He looked up at the clock, frowned, and then looked back down at the floor. The tapping of his feet increased, breaking the rhythm of the clock, and his fingers clenched. He looked up at the clock again.

"How long are they gonna make us wait…?" he demanded, growing impatient.

Even as he spoke the door opened and Quistis walked into the room. Zell's head snapped round to face her. He looked into her face, but he could read nothing there.

"How'd it go?" Squall asked Quistis.

"They understand our situation," Quistis replied. She then went over to Zell and leaned over him, folding her arms. "And Balamb Garden is safe." She stood straight as Zell jumped to his feet. "The attack on the president in Timber was classified as an independent action," she continued. "There was an official notice from the Galbadian government saying that Balamb Garden is not being held responsible."

Relief flooded Zell's face. The dark cloud that had hung over him since Timber was lifted. The fighter clenched his fists and threw them into the air as he jumped for joy. "So, Seifer's taking all the blame?" he asked.

"The trial's over, and the sentence has been carried out…"

Everybody but Squall jumped. They all looked at Quistis, who could only nod in response to their stares. She shook her head, unable to put it into words.

Rinoa stepped back. A wave of nausea passed through her, and she paled. Her head spun. Her legs buckled and she dropped down onto her knees.

"…He was executed?" she whispered. She lowered her head. "…Of course he was. He attacked the president." Another wave of nausea struck her, and she started to tremble. Fighting the sickness, she forced herself onto her feet again. "He sacrificed himself for the 'Forest Owls'." She clenched her shaking fists. "It was your group that got Seifer involved in all this."

Quistis shook her head and went over to her. "You're a resistance faction, right?" she asked. "You must have been prepared for the worst. I'm sure Seifer was prepared, too. So don't think of it as Seifer sacrificing himself for you."

Rinoa glared back at Quistis. She then turned away, unable to look at her. Her body was still trembling, her hands curled up into fists. She bit her lip, tasting blood.

Quistis watched Rinoa; the way she trembled and fought back the tears. Then she remembered that, although Rinoa was a member of a government resistance faction, she had not received the training that she and Squall and the others had. Faced with the death of a friend or a loved one—she still wasn't sure what Seifer was to this woman—Rinoa's heart was in turmoil.

Quistis turned from Rinoa and sat down on the sofa. She sighed. "I'm sorry," she apologised. "I guess that wasn't much consolation." She looked down.

A long silence stretched between them, as everyone took the time to let this information sink in. Seifer, the problem child of Balamb Garden, was executed by the Galbadian government. Even though there really was no other outcome for what he had done, the thought that it had already been done was hard for them to accept.

"I didn't like the guy," Zell said after a while. "But executed…?" He recalled memories of Seifer and his cold, haughty smile, and the way he had ordered him and Squall around during the SeeD exam. Just thinking about it made Zell's blood boil and yet to think that Seifer was dead… The fighter shook his head. "That… bastard…"

"I… really liked him."

Zell looked at Rinoa, as did Selphie and Quistis. The young woman still had her back to the others, unable to face them. For Rinoa, Seifer's loss had touched something very deep inside her. Unlike the others, who seemed to have nothing but dislike for him, Rinoa held very deep feelings of respect for Seifer. Until now Rinoa had never questioned their dislike of him. She had put it down simply to misunderstanding. The Seifer they spoke of was very different to the Seifer she knew.

"He was always full of confidence, smart…" Rinoa let out a short laugh and looked down at her Pinwheel. "Just by talking to him, I felt I could take on the world."

"Your boyfriend?" asked Selphie.

Rinoa hesitated. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, and then turned back to the group. "I don't really know," she admitted. "I… I think I was in love." Rinoa walked to the sofa and sat down next to Quistis. "I wonder how he felt…?"

"Do you still like him?"

Rinoa looked back at her. "If I didn't, I wouldn't be talking about it," she said. Drawing her knees up to her chest, she clasped her hands around them. She looked up at the ceiling where the symbol of Galbadia Garden was painted, just like in the lobby. "It was last summer…" she said, rocking back and forth. "I was sixteen… Lots of fond memories…" She smiled and sighed. She lowered her legs.

Quistis watched her for a moment, and then turned her head away. "I don't have any good memories of him," she confessed. "I've seen some troubled children, but he was beyond troubled." She closed her eyes. "Well, he wasn't really a bad guy."

Another long silence filled the room. Then Selphie turned to Zell and shouted: "You really hated Seifer, didn't you, Zell!"

Zell protested in his defence. "Yeah, but… He was from Garden… He was one of us." The fighter clenched his fists. "If I can, I wanna get revenge."

Selphie stared at him in earnest. Then she too clenched her fists and nodded her head. Even if it was just talk, it made her feel better to hear Zell say that.

While all this was going on, Squall remained silent. He listened to the words of the others as they spoke of Seifer in fondness, anger, and even regret. For Squall, he had accepted Seifer's death long before they even came to Galbadia Garden. He had known it the moment Seifer had vanished. It was only Rinoa and the others who had held onto the hope that Seifer would still be alive. That they would arrive in Galbadia Garden and discover that Seifer was alive and well, and he would be returning to them soon. Like… like some kind of dream.

But this was reality, and reality was not so kind. In reality, nobody stayed around forever. Life or fate, whatever people wanted to call it, would inevitably drag people away. Seifer was just another of these people.

Squall pushed himself away from the dresser and paced the floor. The words of the others repeated themselves in his mind.

_I liked him… Wasn't really a bad guy… He was one of us…_

The swordsman stopped and placed his hand on his hip, frowning.

_Seifer… You've just become a memory…_

He started to walk again.

_Will they… Will they talk about me this way if I die, too? Squall was this and that, using the past tense, saying whatever they want? So this is what death is all about…_

Squall stopped still.

…_Not for me._

He shook his head. He clenched his fists.

_I won't have it!_

Seeing the swordsman frown in anger, Quistis rose to her feet. "What's wrong, Squall?" she asked him.

Squall spun around to face her. "I won't have it!" he burst out, his voice raised.

Zell also stood. "W-What?" he asked in alarm.

"Are you MAD!" Selphie asked in surprise.

Squall turned and ran over the door. It slid open automatically. The swordsman stopped in the doorway and looked back at the others, who were staring at him in surprise. Squall's eyes blazed with barely controlled anger. "I'm not having anyone talk about me in the past tense!" he yelled, and ran out of the room. The door slid shut behind him.

Rinoa started to go after him. Quistis reached out and grabbed hold of her arm. Rinoa looked back, and Quistis silently shook her head. For a moment Rinoa glared at the instructor, but then her eyes softened and she relaxed. Quistis released her arm and sat back down on the sofa, shaking her head. Selphie, confused by what had happened, scratched her cheek.

Rinoa meanwhile, continued to stare at the door. She hoped that Squall would be okay.

* * *

_**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS**_

This is just a personal note, but… I found a site that self-publishes books, and so I ordered a copy of the first instalment of my _Final Fantasy VII_ story. It arrived this week and it looks totally AWESOME!

It looks so professional, and I even made the cover myself! (Using some official wallpaper, of course.) There is no ISBN number, and I am obviously not allowed to sell it, so unfortunately nobody can request a copy. But even so, I have my own personal book copy! So cool! (I'm such a geek, huh?)


	28. Part 03: Chapter 25

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

After he left the reception room, Squall wandered the corridor with nowhere to go. He just wanted a quiet place where he could think and gather his thoughts. Squall stopped running and slowed to a walk, breathing deep to catch his breath. Where was there in Galbadia Garden that was quiet, and where he could think?

He opted for the 2F walkway. This wound all around the Garden's 2F and overlooked the 1F lobby. Squall walked along the walkway until he was halfway across. He leaned against the balustrade, his elbows resting on it. The swordsman sighed and looked down at the floor, and his mind started to wander.

His thoughts were, inevitably, drawn to Seifer. Squall told himself that he did not feel anything over the swordsman's death. He had expected it, after all. It should not have come as any surprise. Yet, for some reason, a part of him felt the loss. It was an old, familiar pain. It was not as strong as it was back then, but Squall felt it all the same.

That was why he had gotten so angry and ran from the reception room. Recalling old memories, talking about someone and wishing they were still there… All of these things were fruitless. It was not possible to bring someone back just by wishing.

As for talking about them—in the past tense, like they were—what consolation did that offer? The only reason they felt such pain and anger now was because they held onto that hope and the belief that no matter what, things would turn out okay. If they had not been so dependant on that belief, then they would not be feeling that pain. Squall knew this, and yet even he got angry and had run from the room. Was that proof he had also been dependant on the belief that Seifer would be all right?

It was not as though Squall held any particular feeling of kinship with Seifer. It was no secret that they did not get on. They did not hang out together or even speak much. In general Squall avoided Seifer, though there were many occasions where the two had come to blows. They trained with one another and Squall had respect for him as a fellow swordsman, but beyond that there was nothing that tied them together. Seifer considered Squall a rival, someone to push himself against in order to come out on top.

Now Seifer was gone. There would be no more rivalry.

Squall stopped his thoughts as he heard the sound of footsteps down in the lobby. The swordsman glanced over his shoulder and watched as Rinoa and Angelo walked into the lobby. Angelo was off his leash as he walked alongside Rinoa, who seemed lost in thought as she ambled across the floor, her hands clasped behind her back. Squall watched her. She and the others must have been released from the reception room, he realised.

The woman walked up to the column of light in the centre of the lobby. Its golden-hued light fell onto her face and hair as she stood before it, giving her the same golden glow. Poets would have a field day describing how she looked standing there, bathed in golden light. Squall was no poet.

As though she sensed him watching her, Rinoa raised her head and looked up at the walkway. She met his gaze. She waved and flashed him a reassuring smile. Squall did not return them, and just looked at her, silent.

Rinoa was another problem, he thought to himself. Rinoa was still his client. What would she do now? Would she still want to go on and liberate Timber after all this? She'd been given a taste of the dangers that were a part of being in a resistance faction. She had said that this was not a game, but… did she really understand what it all meant? Squall couldn't be sure.

At Rinoa's heels, Angelo barked. The woman knelt down and stroked the dog's shaggy fur, whispering to him. She fed him a biscuit. Squall continued to watch her from the walkway. Whatever she decided to do, they would do as well, as per their contract. Quistis, he supposed, would return to Balamb Garden and deliver the news about Seifer to the headmaster. What would Cid think when he heard the news?

Rinoa stood and walked out of the lobby with Angelo in tow. Once they were gone, Squall left the walkway and headed down to the 1F. He wanted to catch a moment alone with her to discuss what she wanted to do next.

He had just entered the lobby when a familiar voice called out to him from above.

"Yo! Squall!"

Squall stopped and turned back. He looked up at the walkway and saw Raijin standing on the balcony above him. The large man waved and then ran off down the corridor. A moment later he heard the sound of heavy footsteps and Raijin came storming into the lobby, with Fujin running close behind. Squall laid a hand on his hip. So both of them were here…

"What are you doing here?" he asked them.

"What am I doin'?" Raijin grinned and patted his chest. "I'm a messenger, ya know?" He looked at Fujin, who silently nodded her head. He nodded back. "Brought you a new order from Headmaster Cid, ya know?" They nodded again.

Squall tried to ignore this strange habit and folded his arms. "What kind of order?"

Raijin shrugged. "I dunno," he said. "Gave it to the head honcho here. Just did what Headmaster Cid wanted, ya know?"

The two nodded their heads again. Fujin, her face an unreadable mask as always, waved her hand at Raijin. "EXPLAIN," she ordered.

"We were suppose'ta go to Timber," Raijin said. "But the trains have stopped, so we had no choice but to come here. Kinda relieved to see you guys here."

Once again, the two nodded. Then Fujin looked around at the lobby, her single eye scanning the area. She turned back to Squall. "SEIFER?" she asked.

"Oh yeah! Wasn't Seifer with you?"

Squall hesitated. These two were Seifer's best friends, his only friends in Garden. Squall never thought he would be the one to break this news to them. "I believe Seifer may be dead…" he said, choosing his words carefully. "I heard he was tried in Galbadia and then executed…"

Fujin gasped. The cold mask that she always wore slipped for an instant, betraying the shock in pain that she felt on hearing the news. Then the mask returned and her good eye hardened. She scowled.

"LIES!" she declared.

Raijin shared her sentiments, and he burst out laughing. "BWAHAAHAAHAA!" he guffawed. "That's gotta be a lie ya know!" The man put his hands on his hips and thrust out his chest. "There is no way he'd put up with a trial, ya know! Or an execution for that matter! It's just not Seifer, ya know!"

Fujin waved her hand. "FIND!"

Raijin looked at her. "O'What…? We're gonna meet up with Seifer?" Fujin nodded, and Raijin turned back to Squall. "Well, see ya, Squall. We're gonna head off to Galbadia to look for Seifer." With that, he and Fujin ran past Squall and headed out of Galbadia Garden.

The swordsman watched them as they went. What they said… they had a point. Seifer was not the type of person who would put up with all the rigmarole involved with a trial. He certainly was not the type to go willingly to an execution, either. But whether he was that type of person or not did not change the fact that it _did_ happen. Raijin and Fujin were chasing after a ghost.

With nowhere else left to go, the swordsman also headed for the exit. He had not even reached the other side when the Garden's PA system, in its usual cold and emotionless manner, made another announcement:

"Attention. SeeD party from Balamb Garden: Please assemble in front of the gate."

The message repeated itself several times as Squall headed over to the turnstiles. Quistis was there waiting for him, pre-empting his actions like she always did. Squall passed his card over the scanner and walked through the gate.

Quistis turned to him. "Okay," she said, "it's time to meet. Let's go!"

Squall nodded. Quistis opened her mouth to speak, but she quickly shut it again. She wanted to speak with Squall, to ask if he was okay after his outburst in the reception room. But a look into Squall's face told her this was a subject that was best avoided.

The two left the Garden and hurried down towards the front gate. On the way they spotted Zell and Selphie running ahead of them. Rinoa was already by the exit, walking at a leisurely pace with Angelo by her side. When Zell and Selphie ran past her she broke into a run, calling for Angelo to run with her.

The companions gathered in front of the main gate. Once there Quistis informed them that new orders from Balamb Garden had arrived while she was in meeting with the headmaster. Now they were to wait for Martine—headmaster of Galbadia Garden—to come and give them the new orders. Quistis knew nothing of what the orders entailed except that they were issued from Headmaster Cid himself, and addressed specifically for Squall and his team, Quistis included. So they sat back and waited for the Galbadian headmaster to arrive.

Rinoa stood apart from the others, leaning against the rail that lined the drive. Angelo lay on the ground, his tongue hanging out of his mouth as he panted in the heat of the afternoon sun. Only once did he open his eyes and look up at his mistress, saw that nothing was amiss, and lay his head back down again.

Squall looked over at her. He wondered if it was best for her to go back inside Galbadia Garden. These orders they were waiting to receive were Garden business, not something she should get involved in. He knew she would not like it, but Garden's orders overrode a client's orders.

He approached her to tell her of this, but then Angelo raised his head and barked. Squall stopped and looked down the main drive. A car bearing the traditional colours of Galbadia Garden was driving down towards them. Rinoa also looked up.

"Oh! I think that's him," she said. She pushed herself away from the rail and looked up at Squall. His face was troubled. Rinoa smiled, guessing what he was thinking. "Just pretend I'm a SeeD, too," she told him. "It'll be less complicated that way."

Squall hesitated and looked away from her. He put his hand on his hip, thinking. Rinoa was not a SeeD… but it was better than explaining to the headmaster how their first mission had ended as a complete failure. It wouldn't make much of a difference if he believed that Rinoa was also a SeeD… For now, anyway.

The five of them lined up by the gate. The car drove down and pulled up in front of them. The door opened and a man stepped out. He was tall and wore a long, military coat emblazoned with the colours of Garden. His hair was a dark blond and was slicked back against his head, without a single hair out of place. His face was set, his lips pressed together in a firm line. His eyes were hard, with a look that demanded respect. In every way different to Headmaster Cid, whose jovial face and rotund image was present in the minds of all the SeeD, subconsciously comparing them.

Martine approached them. In his hands he held a small brown envelope. As he drew near Squall and the others immediately came to attention and saluted him. Rinoa looked around at them, startled, before she too stood at attention. She glanced down the line, copying the SeeD salute. The others then lowered their arms and, after a moment, Rinoa did the same.

The headmaster did not seem to notice her delayed actions, and came to a stop in front of the companions. He looked around at them, and Squall noticed a look of worry in his otherwise serious face. Worry lines formed on his brow and there were dark circles beneath his eyes, as though he had not slept well for a while. His lips were turned downwards, with no hint of a smile.

Headmaster Martine looked up and down the line. "Good day," he said.

The SeeD (and Rinoa!) did not respond. They remained silent, arms fixed to their sides and their eyes facing forward. The headmaster nodded and folded his hands behind his back. He then began to pace in front of them, walking up and down.

"I have official orders from Headmaster Cid addressed to you…" he said. "Following regulations, I have gone over these orders. After careful consideration of our options, we have decided to fully assist and cooperate with Headmaster Cid. Actually, we too, have been planning for this for quite some time now. In order to stress the importance of this mission, I must first brief you in on the current situation." The headmaster stopped pacing and looked around at the group, who were still standing at attention. "At ease," he told them.

The five stood at ease.

"You all know about the sorceress being appointed as the peace ambassador for the Galbadian government," Martine continued. The group nodded. "However, this ambassador thing is just a cover up. There will be no peace talks, only threats. The sorceress creates fear among people. Therefore, peace talks are impossible. Galbadia is planning to use this fear to negotiate favourable conditions for itself.

"It is clear that Galbadia's ultimate goal is world domination. Garden is no exception, either. It is a fact that the sorceress is planning to use this Garden as her base." Martine stopped pacing. He sighed and shook his head. "…We have very few options available to us," he said. He looked up, and his eyes moved over the five young men and women standing before him. "We entrust world peace, and the future to you."

Squall and the others came to attention and saluted as the headmaster's speech came to a close. Again, after a moment, Rinoa did the same.

Martine, however, did not notice. He held up the envelope he had been carrying. "Details of this mission are enclosed in these official orders." The headmaster then went over to Squall and gave him the envelope. Squall took out the document enclosed and read it over. Martine returned to stand in front of the group. "Any questions?" he asked them.

Squall finished reading the document. "The orders say by means of a 'sniper'," he said, looking up at Martine. "We have no one with that skill."

Headmaster Martine smiled. It was the first time he had smiled since he addressed the companions.

"Don't worry about it," Marine replied. He walked to the side. "Let me introduce you to an elite sharpshooter from Galbadia Garden." Stopping, the headmaster raised his voice and shouted: "Kinneas! Irvine Kinneas!"

In the gardens lining the driveway, a hand lifted up from the grass. It belonged to a man who had until now been lying unobserved on the ground, listening in. The man pointed his finger at the sky and a butterfly, one of the few insects that had managed to survive in the warm climate, fluttered by and landed on his fingertip.

The man took a breath and then exhaled softly,

The man flicked his finger and made a shooting sound under his breath. The butterfly, startled, flew away. Lowering his arm, the man pushed himself to his feet. The long folds of a light tan, cowboy style trenchcoat fell behind him as he stood. It seemed this man much favoured the old-fashioned cowboy look, for his boots and his trousers were of the same style, and a broad-brimmed cowboy hat sat on his head.

As the man stood he picked up a shotgun that had been lying by his side. It was a simple, double-barrel shotgun; a standard weapon, but reliable. The man pressed the gun against his shoulder and turned to face the group. He was young, around the same age as Squall and the others. His face was handsome with smooth skin, and bright eyes that had a playful twinkle in them. His long, chestnut-brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, but a few thick bangs framed the side of his face. He smiled as he saw the group, and headed over towards them.

When he reached the fence he sheathed his gun and jumped onto the drive. He then paraded in front of Squall and the other SeeDs, his hands thrust deep into his pockets. Every so often he looked up, gazing into the faces of the five people standing before him. When his gaze met Selphie's he smiled and winked at her. Selphie flushed but said nothing.

"This is Irvine Kinneas," Martine said. The newcomer stopped pacing and stood next to the headmaster. "He will be your sharpshooter. Leave whenever you're ready." Martine then turned and headed back to his car. He took only a few steps before he stopped and looked back at them. "Failure is not an option," he told them. Then he got into his car and drove back to Galbadia Garden.

The man called Irvine turned around and pointed his finger at the car as it drove away. "BANG!" he said in a loud voice, drawing his finger back.

The car did not stop and headed back into Garden. Once it was gone Squall and the others broke up from their line and spread out. Each one of them looked at Irvine. The young cowboy looked back at them, the playful twinkle still in his eyes.

"Looks like I'm with you rubes from Balamb," he said. His voice had a strong, south-Galbadian accent. Irvine flicked his hat. "Greetings."

At once, Zell raised his fists. His face creased into a scowl. It seemed that, already, he disliked this new addition to their party and wanted to make that dislike known.

Squall looked at him. _Zell…_ he thought. _Why do you have to overreact to everything?_

"You cool with me helping you?" Irvine asked, turning to Squall.

Squall turned to face him. "That depends on your attitude," he responded.

"I say things that get a rise out of some people," the gunman confessed with a meaningful glance at Zell. "Just don't let it bother you and we'll get along fine."

That was easier said than done. As Irvine met Zell's gaze, the fighter's face turned even redder and he clenched his fists even tighter. Irvine did not seem concerned and shrugged it off, serving only to anger Zell further.

Squall looked from one man to the other. _I shouldn't put him together with Zell…_ he decided. This man—Irvine Kinneas—was new to their group and it would be unfair to judge him before they had the chance to learn about him and his skills. Placing him with Zell would only serve to create friction amongst the group. Squall made a mental note to speak about it with Zell later. "I'll remember that," he said to Irvine. Irvine nodded and flicked his hat again.

"What's our next mission?" Selphie interrupted.

"Our next mission…" Squall looked down at the orders in his hands. Headmaster Cid's seal was stamped to the bottom, proving its authenticity. Squall walked to stand in the centre of the group. "This is no ordinary mission. It's a direct order from both Balamb and Galbadia Garden. We're to… …assassinate the sorceress." At this everybody but Irvine jumped in surprise, and Squall continued. "We're to shoot her from afar. Kinneas will be our sharpshooter." Irvine, in response, flicked his hat.

"We're to support Kinneas to our fullest," Squall carried on. He walked over and stood in front of Irvine. "Should the sniper fail, we are to attack head on."

"Thanks for the support," Irvine said, "but I never miss my target."

Squall nodded. He turned from Irvine and walked back to the centre. Everyone's eyes followed him. "Eliminate the sorceress. That's our order. We're going to head to the capital of Galbadia, Deling City. There, we'll meet up with General Caraway to go over the details for the plan." He looked around at the group. "Let's get going."

His gaze then went to Rinoa. The young woman had become very quiet as Squall made his speech about their mission, and had moved away from the others. Now she was shuffling her feet and rubbing her arm in that peculiar way she had when she was worried about something. Squall started to wonder what it was, but then dismissed it. Whatever it was, it was none of his business.

"Well then…" Irvine said, breaking into Squall's thoughts. "We'll need to choose a party for the trip to Deling City."

The sharpshooter walked forward. First he went to Selphie and took her by the hand. The girl gasped in surprise as Irvine led her forward. He then went to Rinoa and slid his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close. Rinoa stared up at him, completely startled. Irvine led both of the girls to one side and then turned back to Squall. "How's this?" he asked, gesturing to the two girls.

Squall stared back at him. So this was the kind of man Irvine Kinneas was. Squall placed his hand on his hip. Was it okay to let Irvine have his way and team up with Rinoa and Selphie? _Yeah, whatever,_ his thoughts answered. "Have a good time…" the swordsman said.

Selphie turned and glared at him. "Are you being sarcastic!" she demanded. "You are, aren't you!" She stamped her foot. "Well, fine then. We WILL have a good time!"

Rinoa also seemed angry. "We understand very well," she said, and wrapped her arms around Irvine's arm. Zell jumped back in shock, his jaw falling open. "Come on, Mr. Kinneas," said Rinoa in her most alluring voice. "Let's go!"

Squall blinked, confused. _…H-Hey._

"Call me Irvine," Irvine said to Rinoa. He looked down at the two women on either side of him. "I'm a pretty lucky guy. Hand in hand with two beautiful girls!"

Selphie jumped and latched onto Irvine's other arm. She tugged him towards her and rubbed her cheek against the sleeve of his coat.

"Irvy Kinnepoo! I'll make you happy!"

Both women glared at Squall. Their gazes were fierce, challenging. Even Zell flinched beneath the angry faces of the two women. Squall, on the other hand, just turned his head away.

_Did I say something terrible?_ he asked himself. He shook his head. _Women… I don't understand them._

So, with the two women latched onto either arm, Irvine Kinneas left Galbadia Garden. Both Rinoa and Selphie made a point of ignoring Squall as they walked past, keeping their attention firmly devoted to the oblivious Mr. Kinneas.

As the trio headed out onto the plains, Quistis folded her arms and grimaced. "I think I feel sick…" she confessed, glad that Irvine had not chosen her for his entourage.

Zell ran forward. "Irvine Kinneas…" he called after him. "Loser…!"

Irvine, in response, just raised a hand. He waved it in farewell. Then he put his arms around both women and strolled leisurely across the plains. This only served to anger Zell even more and he murmured curses under his breath, his fists trembling.

As she watched Irvine and the girls leave, Quistis had an idea. She turned to Squall. She slipped her arm into his and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Come on, Squall," she said. She rubbed her cheek on his fur collar. "Let's go!"

Squall stared at her._ …H-Hey._ What was that all about?

Zell, unable to hang around any longer, ran forward. "Squall, let's get going!" he shouted. "We have to get there before they do!" The fighter then ran off into the plateau, shouting insults after Irvine Kinneas all the way.

Squall meanwhile, with Quistis still holding onto him, put his hand to his head and sighed. _Grow up!_ he pleaded. He didn't hold is breath, though.

* * *

An hour later the companions had arrived at Monterosa Station on the eastern side of the plateau. The train had not arrived yet, so the companions relaxed in the synthetic gardens surrounding the platform and waited for the train to arrive.

Monterosa Station, like East Academy Station, was nothing more than a simple platform. Since Galbadia Garden was rarely visited by anyone other than the Galbadian military, there was no need to build a proper station.

They were not the only ones waiting for the train. A few students from Galbadia Garden were also waiting, talking amongst themselves as they walked through the gardens. The conductor waited at the top of the platform, keeping an eye on the people below.

The trip across the plateau was… less than peaceful. Despite splitting into two groups the parties remained in close proximity to one another. This was partly due to the fact that they were all heading the same way, but also because Zell was adamant that Irvine needed to have an eye kept on him.

It seemed that Zell had been right about that. Not long after leaving Galbadia Garden they had heard shouts coming from Irvine's party. When they looked over they saw that Selphie and Rinoa had left Irvine and were storming ahead, leaving Irvine behind to cradle a slapped cheek. From which woman he had received the slap no one knew, but it lightened Zell's mood.

There were numerous monsters to fight on the way, as well. Blood Souls and Belhelmels were among the ones native to the plateau. Irvine warned them that the attacks of these two particular monsters often left status changes on the body, so it was advised to avoid getting hit by them. Of course, he only told them of this after Zell left Squall and Quistis and had rushed in to defeat a Blood Soul that Irvine was fighting. He was struck by one of its breath attacks and as a result had ended up being silenced. It had caused an uproar (mostly laughter) from his friends, and it was with great reluctance that Squall used _Esuna_ magic to release him from its hold.

Rinoa also made good use of the journey, using the time to master her new skills. She was becoming very adept at using magic and experimented with different ways of using and deploying it. Selphie was a good teacher—being talented at magic herself—and from her Rinoa learned things such as harnessing magic within her to boost her defences, or to make her own attacks stronger. Selphie was impressed at how quickly Rinoa learned and proclaimed that she was just as good as any member of SeeD. Rinoa was thrilled to hear this, and vowed to work even harder.

After about fifteen minutes the train to Deling City arrived. While the others were busy paying for their tickets, Squall got onto the train.

It was quiet inside the train, a nice change from the noise outside (most of it from Zell). Squall took a moment to enjoy that silence, for he knew it would not last for long. Almost on instinct, he went over to the ticket machine and inserted his ticket. While the machine worked, Quistis and Zell entered the car.

"Confirming… Access granted…"

Squall headed back to the door to call for the others to hurry up. Before he reached it however, Rinoa and the others walked in. Squall backed up, letting them pass.

Selphie headed straight for the other door. When it opened she grinned and turned to Squall. "Hee! You caught on!" she said, and ran into the corridor.

The carriage door closed. Overhead, the intercom rang into life.

"This train, bound for Deling City, will be departing shortly."

A moment later the train lurched forward, causing everyone in the car to stagger. Rinoa wrapped her arms around her churning stomach as the train moved out of station and headed out across the rugged plains of the Monterosa Plateau. The movement did not ease even as they left the station, so Rinoa fought against her nausea and stood upright. She giggled.

"This is the only train bound for Deling City anyway," she said.

Squall and Quistis nodded. From Galbadia Garden, this was the only train _anywhere._ It was just lucky for them that the only stop just happened to be their destination. So for now, all they could do was relax and wait and enjoy the journey.

As the train left the station behind, Irvine turned from the window and pushed back his hat. "Hmm…" he murmured, mostly to himself. "Perhaps it's fate?" Everybody's eyes then followed him as he crossed the room and went into the corridor.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Zell spun around to face Squall. "So, what do we do about HIM?" he demanded.

"…Irvine just kind of went off…" Quistis said… "Shouldn't you check?"

Squall put his hand to his head. What did they expect him to do? Squall could not say he particularly liked Irvine, either. Irvine Kinneas was a stranger, but he was also to play a major part in the assassination mission. Whether they liked him or not, they had to work together with him. They would just have to deal with their dislike and get on with the mission. Still, Quistis and Zell were expecting him to say something. Perhaps it would not do much harm to let Kinneas know where he stood.

The swordsman went into the corridor. He found Irvine there, standing with Selphie by the window.

"Selphie…" Irvine was saying to her. "We're destined to be together!"

Selphie looked sceptical. "Y-Yeah right…!" she said. She sighed and shook her head.

Irvine turned to the window and leaned his elbows on the narrow ledge. "A sigh of love?" he asked her.

Selphie jumped, and her face flushed a bright pink. She turned to him. "N-No…" she said, trying to sound forceful. But her voice was hesitant. She looked past Irvine's shoulder and spotted Squall in the doorway. She gasped.

Hearing her gasp, Irvine turned around. When he saw Squall there he grinned and pushed himself away from the window. He strolled over to Squall, his gait casual, as though nothing was amiss. He stopped next to Squall and flicked his hat. Squall stepped aside.

"Pardon me…" the gunman said, and then went through the door to the waiting room. It slid shut after him, leaving Squall and Selphie alone.

Selphie took a deep breath and sighed. Her face was still flushed. The girl put her hand over her chest. "My heart's pounding…" she said. "What is this I'm feeling?"

Nerves, probably, Squall told himself. He turned back to her. "It's an important mission," he said. "Get used to handling pressure while you still can."

Selphie looked at him, and then she nodded. She still looked agitated, her face troubled. Then she turned back to the window and looked out at the landscape. Outside, the Monterosa Plateau whooshed by, a blur of cream and grey colours. She sighed again, and then started to hum a little tune to herself. She would be all right, Squall decided.

He returned to the waiting room. He immediately spotted Irvine talking to Rinoa, saying the same things he had said to Selphie just moments before.

"Rinoa…" Irvine said.

But Rinoa would not listen. She ran from him and stood next to Quistis, whose face was angry as she glared at Irvine. Zell slammed his fist into his palm in warning. Squall placed his hand on his hip, watching.

"Irvine Kinneas!" Quistis snapped, her voice raised. "You're playing a major role in this mission. Now behave yourself!"

The playful twinkle in Irvine's eyes vanished, and his face fell. "No one understands me…" he complained. He walked across the room and stopped by Rinoa, who pulled away. "Sharpshooters are loners by nature…" Irvine raised his eyes to the ceiling. "We hone our instincts," he said, "pour our whole being into a single bullet."

Squall crossed his arms. What was all this about?

Irvine turned and walked back across the floor. "The pressure of the moment… An instant of tension…" The gunman paused and dropped his shoulders. He sighed. "That's what… I have to face alone…" He walked over to Squall. "It's not easy." He then walked to the door, his back to the group. "So like… Just do me a favour, and let me be!"

He then turned back and grinned, the playful twinkle back in his eyes. "You get my drift?" he asked.

Nobody spoke. Then Zell gave a yell and punched his fist into the ground. The impact was so great that it caused the whole train to shake. The overhead lights flickered and dimmed, before finally failing and leaving the car in darkness. Everybody looked up and then turned to Zell, whose face was guilty.

Overhead, the intercom crackled into life. The train driver's voice—sounding somewhat anxious—spoke.

"Err, there was no damage to the train from that, err, minor vibration… I, uh, repeat… Err, there was no damage to the train from that, err, minor vibration…"

* * *

_**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS**_

Apologies for the delay in getting this chapter done. I've got a lot going on with work and that kinda sapped my writing spirit for a while. I've also been spending some time redoing my script for this game. The original copy is handwritten in the most microscopic writing you could possibly imagine (I used to write very tiny!), so I've made it easier on myself by typing it out on computer like my Crisis Core and Final Fantasy 13 scripts. I'm up to… Esthar, with that one.

I've also finished the scripting for Final Fantasy 10, and next I'm gonna work on FFX-2. Then I just have to retype Final Fantasy 9 and that's it. I have no plans for FF12 at this stage. There is a possibility that Kingdom Hearts and The World Ends With You may be done in the future. FAR future, of course.


	29. Part 03: Chapter 26

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Deling City, the capital of Galbadia. The city was one of the largest and most prosperous in the present world. The city got its name from its president, who named the city after himself as an everlasting symbol of his rule and his dominance over the rest of the continent.

It was also, Squall thought as the train pulled into the station, the home of the Galbadian soldier Laguna Loire. If the tales shown in the 'dream world' were to be believed, this was where Laguna had returned to after fighting the Timber army. He had left the battle to see Julia, the hotel pianist who wanted to become a singer. Squall did not know if those 'dreams' were real or not, but now that he saw Deling City with his own eyes he could not help but think of Laguna.

There were numerous soldiers posted around the station, keeping a close eye on the people getting on and off the trains. Squall and the others tried hard to act natural as they went past one of the soldiers stationed on the platform. Luckily the soldier, bored from a long and tiring shift, paid them no mind.

They headed straight for the exit, where a large escalator waited to take them outside and into the city. At first they kept together but then Selphie, filled with impatience, broke away from the others and ran on ahead. After a moment Selphie ran after her, with Angelo bounding along behind her. Selphie reached the top first and ran into the street. Her eyes widened.

Standing opposite the train station was the Gateway. It was built at the very heart of Deling City, and was easily the most prominent building in the city, next to the Presidential Residence where the president resided. The gateway was nearly one hundred feet high, and stood a symbol of the city's strength and prosperity. Stone statues carved in the shape of lizards guarded the archway. It was thought, by some, that the gateway's designer had done this as a deliberate slight against the president. Whatever the reason was the statues remained, and had become a notable feature of the city.

Despite being mid-afternoon it was dark in Deling City. The Great Plains of Galbadia, on the northern edge of the continent, was covered in a perpetual blanket of heavy cloud. As a result the land seemed to be forever in darkness, except for a few days each year when the clouds cleared.

Holographic lights were positioned around the gateway, projecting colourful images onto the dark sky. When Selphie saw these her eyes lit up and she jumped, clapping her hands in delight. She was not the only one impressed. Zell and Quistis too, seemed impressed with what they saw.

Only Rinoa seemed unimpressed. "We're going to Caraway's Mansion, right?" she asked. She pointed down the steps leading to the street. "Just take bus 08."

At this, Squall glanced at her. How was it that Rinoa knew that?

"Sounds like you know this place pretty well," said Zell. Rinoa said nothing.

Selphie turned to Rinoa. "We're going there already…?" she asked, her face falling. "You don't wanna check out the city?"

Squall crossed his arms and looked down._ …That might be good,_ he thought. _Maybe Laguna's back from his duties. But what do I do if I see him?_ The swordsman shook his head. No, he could not think about that now. What mattered was the mission. "We should go see General Caraway first," he advised.

Quistis nodded, and Zell clenched his fists. The two then headed down the steps towards the street, with Irvine, Rinoa and Angelo in tow. Selphie remained a moment longer, pouting, before she ran down the steps after the others. There would be time for sightseeing later, she decided.

Now only Squall remained on the steps. As the others walked on ahead of him, Squall cast his eyes around the city. All the hustle and bustle, the sights, the smells… the sensations… They were all the same as they were in the 'dream world'. It was as though Squall was back in the 'dream world' again, seeing through Laguna's eyes.

Seeing it all now, Squall became more and more convinced that what he and the others were experiencing was, in fact, real. Somehow, his consciousness was taken from him and was placed inside Laguna's own consciousness, allowing Squall to see and experience all that Laguna saw and did. How it was happening Squall did not know, and could not even begin to comprehend. The fact remained: it happened. The swordsman placed his hand on his hip, looking around.

_So this is where Laguna's from…?_

Rinoa called his name. She and the others were waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs, next to the bus stop. Coincidentally, the bus was already there.

The bus conductor turned to Squall as he approached. "To Caraway's Mansion?" he asked in rather curt tones. He jerked his thumb at the bus. "Get on?"

Squall nodded. "Yes."

They paid the fare and got on the bus. It was crowded with people, citizens and tourists, and so they were forced to split up. Selphie beat Zell and grabbed the nearest available window seat. The fighter glared at her, but Selphie just flashed him a smile and stuck out her tongue. Zell was about to take the seat next to her but Irvine got there first, slipping past Zell and into the seat. The gunman smirked and tilted his hat. Zell, infuriated, shook his fists.

The others took their seats. Zell ended up sat next to Squall, who looked less than enthusiastic at having to share a spot with the loud-mouthed fighter. The bus set off.

At first, Zell tried to engage Squall in conversation, trying to tell him everything he knew about Deling City. Squall ignored him but Zell was persistent, speaking in a loud, annoying voice. He was eventually told to be silent by the hard-looking bus conductor and the fighter gave up, lapsing into sullen silence.

The bus drove down the road. It left the central area and entered one of the upper-class residential areas. Here the buildings were grand and tall, the gardens were large and well-kept. On the other side of the street was a large park. People walked through and some of them lay on the grass, laughing and talking amongst themselves. The bus continued to rumble down the street. Squall looked out of the window, watching as the city went by.

Squall's thoughts drifted to their mission. Something was troubling him. The mission was a direct order from Balamb and Galbadian Gardens to assassinate the sorceress. Why did both Gardens feel they had to get involved? Not only that, they were to receive their instructions from General Caraway, the Galbadian army's top officer.

Squall had heard of General Caraway before. He was a great man, powerful and respected. Known for his tactical skills, many of the army's campaigns were successful because of his planning and decisions. To hear that General Caraway was involved in a plot to assassinate the sorceress was a surprise, and also a concern.

_Caraway is the head of the Galbadian army…_ Squall thought. _Could this be a coup d'état? No… I don't think he's out to overthrow the president._ Squall played with the ring on his right hand. He looked down at it, and ran his finger over the carving. If a revolution was not Caraway's goal, then what was it? Was it even his place to ask?

The bus stopped outside of General Caraway's Mansion. The group disembarked and gathered on the street outside. They peered over the treetops that filled the garden and looked up at the building. It was a very large building, and looked much like a castle. The sheer grandness of the building left no doubts as to the general's wealth and status in the city. It certainly left an impression on them all… except for Rinoa, who looked up at the building with contempt and distaste.

There was a soldier standing guard outside of the main gate. When the group approached the soldier stiffened and stood at attention. He blocked their entry.

"General Caraway's mansion is right through this gate," he said. "But… I can't just let you walk in."

Squall placed his hand on his hip. "I believe he's been informed of our arrival."

The soldier nodded. "Yes, indeed," he agreed, "But… I was ordered not to let you through until your skills have been tested."

"He's still so sceptical of people," Rinoa muttered, folding her arms.

Squall ignored Rinoa's comment. "Test our skills? What does he want us to do?"

"The Tomb of the Unknown King lies to the northeast," the soldier said, pointing. "All you have to do is go there. It's real simple, but… You have to bring back proof that you were there. A code number."

Squall appeared confused. "A code number?"

"All the way out here for a test of courage?" Rinoa rolled her eyes.

The soldier carried on. "There are many students like yourself who wish to call on General Caraway," he explained. "There was a student from Galbadia Garden yesterday, who has yet to return from the test at the Tomb of the Unknown King. The Tomb of the Unknown King is located northeast of the city. Your objective is to go to the Tomb of the Unknown King, look for traces of this lost student, and return with his ID number. You should be able to find what you're looking for shortly after you go in. The ID number should be written on it. I don't recommend going any further than you have to. You may never make it back alive. Anyway, here's a map for you." The soldier pulled out a map from his pocket and handed it to Squall. "Alright, I'll accompany you out. It's quite convenient if you rent a car when you travel outside."

The soldier left his post and led the group through the streets to the care rental. The rental place was located quite close to General Caraway's residence, so it was only a short walk to get there. The soldier waited while the group paid the rental fee and left the city, heading in the direction of the Tomb of the Unknown King. When they were gone the soldier saluted and then headed back to his post to await their return.

* * *

_**A Note from the Authoress**_

Just a short chapter this one. I am really looking forward to next Friday. It's my birthday and I will finally be able to play Dissidia Duodecim. It's been sitting on my shelf since its release, unopened (I've been a very good girl!). Now I have just less than a week to go before I can finally rip it open and play it.

…Not that I'm any good. I've been playing the Prologus… and I can't even complete Lightning's story, and that's the FIRST one. Cloud… is just too difficult for me to beat. ;~; Kinda depressing, really. It's like FF7 came to torment me again. I can't escape it, can I? Sooner or later I am dragged back to FF7.


	30. Part 03: Chapter 27

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

After leaving Deling City, Squall and the others headed northeast along the Great Plains of Galbadia in the direction of the Tomb of the Unknown King. The map the soldier had given them showed that the tomb was built right at the edge of the Gotland Penn, and marked the north-eastern border of Galbadia's territory. The Penn's opposing neighbour was the Malgo Penn, the north-western border of Dollet. The two Penns grew close together, creating a vast inlet of water inside of Galbadia. From the Gotland Penn it was possible to see much of Dollet's landscape, including the tall Yaulny Canyons.

The Tomb of the Unknown King was the only building on the Gotland Penn. It was, as its name suggested, a tomb for one of Dollet's long-forgotten emperors. The Gotland Penn was once Dollet territory, hence why the tomb was built there. Now the Penn was ruled by Galbadia, and the tomb was all but forgotten. Now it stood derelict, overrun with moss and plants… and monsters.

The SeeDs parked the rental car outside the tomb's main gates. Another car, also rented, stood silent. The engine was cold: the car had been there for a while. Its occupants were nowhere to be seen.

The SeeDs passed through the broken down gates and entered the tomb's outer courtyard. In the centre, the tomb stood silent. The tomb was built much like a pyramid, rising in tiers of weathered rock and stone. In some places the tomb was in such poor condition that the rocks had fallen away, leaving gaping holes in its structure. In those gaps plants had grown, winding their way through the rock.

Despite being derelict, the courtyard was teeming with life. Plants and weeds had grown wild on either side of the path, and some forced their way up through the stone slabs of the path. Insects buzzed through the overgrown grass, and birds could be seen nesting on the tomb's upper tiers. One of those birds looked down as Squall and the rest of his comrades walked through the courtyard. It blinked once, squawked, and then settled back down in its nest with its chicks, uninterested.

As the group walked through the courtyard, a loud and terrified scream came from inside the tomb. Everybody stopped and their hands rushed to their weapons.

Two girls came running out of the tomb. They looked no older than Squall and the other SeeDs, and both were dressed in the uniforms of Galbadia Garden students. The uniforms were dishevelled and one of the girls' faces was specked with dirt, her legs blackened with mud from where she had fallen and grazed her knees.

The two girls were so overcome by fear that they did not even see the others standing there. "F-Float!" one of them shouted, as she and her friend ran past them. They did not look back as they ran through the courtyard gates to where their car stood waiting. They piled in and revved the engine painfully before driving away from the tomb as fast as possible, leaving a trail of churned up grass behind them.

The companions watched the car as it sped off in the direction of Deling City. Once the car was out of sight they turned back to the tomb and gazed up at it. The building was quiet. The same question ran through their minds. Was the tomb really so bad that even Garden students would run away in fear? Even Angelo seemed unnerved. The dog's head was low, almost touching the ground, and he whimpered.

"I'm getting a bad feeling about this," Selphie said. "Do we have to go in?"

Zell agreed. "Yeah… Maybe we can fake the code number, or somethin'."

Quistis folded her arms. "You think they won't be prepared for that?" she asked.

"Let's just go in," Irvine said. "All we have to do is get the number and get out, right? Besides, there're six of us. We should be fine if we stick together, right?"

"That's right!" said Rinoa. She broke away from the others and ran down the path. Stopping at the entrance, she turned and waved her arms. "Come on, Squall!" she called, and then she ran inside the tomb. Selphie, after a moment, ran after her.

The others followed Rinoa and Selphie inside. Only Squall remained outside of the tomb. The swordsman looked up at the building, with its aged walls and nesting inhabitants. Once, long ago, this would have been a revered and respected place. Now it was a forgotten ruin.

Squall looked down at Angelo. The dog stood outside of the entrance, whining for his mistress. The swordsman went up to the dog and knelt down beside him. Angelo looked back at him with his large brown eyes. He whined. Squall held out his hand, and Angelo sniffed it before pushing his nose into Squall's palm. The swordsman gave him a pat before standing and going into the tomb. Angelo watched him go. The dog lay down, his head on his paws, whimpering.

Squall found the others waiting for him just beyond the entrance. He rejoined them and then they headed further into the tomb. The inside of the tomb was dark and empty, with only a little light filtering in through holes that had formed in the ceiling. There was enough light for them to make out their surroundings: a long, empty corridor built entirely out of stone. The air was stale and thick with the stench of damp and rot—a stench that only got worse the further in they went.

As the soldier had told them, they found what they were looking for shortly after entering the tomb. A sword, dropped by one of the female students they had passed on their way in, lay forgotten on the ground in the middle of the corridor. Squall knelt down next to it. It was a plain sword, unadorned, the kind students were given to train with. The code number was engraved on the side of the blade. Squall committed it to memory.

"This it?" asked Zell, leaning over Squall's shoulder.

"So, we can go back now?" Selphie asked.

Squall was about to reply when a loud roar rumbled from deep inside the tomb. It started off quiet and then grew loud, causing the ground to tremble beneath their feet. Everybody looked around as the roar echoed around them and then faded away, and the corridor returned to silence.

"Um… Did anyone else hear that?" asked Selphie. "Was that a monster?"

"Hey!" Zell said in a loud voice, making everyone jump. "I heard once that a GF is supposed to live in this tomb. It was summoned to protect the tomb from raiders." He turned to Squall. "It's said that the GF will only leave the tomb once defeated by a soul stronger than the one who summoned it." Seeing the sceptical faces of Selphie and Rinoa, he quickly added: "Of course, it was just a rumour…"

Squall stood up. He turned away from the sword and took a few steps down the corridor. His footsteps echoed in the wide hallway. At the end the corridor split off in three directions, with one path going straight ahead, one heading to the left and the other to the right. Squall had little doubt that the whole of this tomb was set out like a maze, meant to further disorientate intruders. The swordsman stopped at the crossroads and closed his eyes, trying to sense the GF's presence.

"Ah, you Balamb types use GF, don't you?" Irvine was saying. "So like, we don't use them in Galbadia. We prefer to fight with weapons made by human hands, not spiritual ones. 'Course, I've no objections to trying it out." Irvine flicked his hat and turned to Squall. "So, what do you wanna do, Squall? Gonna go check it out?"

At first Squall did not reply. He opened his eyes. A GF _did_ reside inside the tomb. Its location was hard to pinpoint, but it was definitely there. Should they go check it out? The swordsman looked down, thinking it over. Their task was only to collect the code number. That was all they needed to prove themselves to General Caraway. As a SeeD, however, they could not turn down the opportunity to obtain a new GF.

"There's no harm in checking it out," he said, turning back to the others. As Zell and Selphie both cheered, the swordsman added: "But proceed with caution. It's probably a maze in here. Take note of where you are." Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. Squall folded his arms. "It's best we stay together whilst we're in here. Don't stray too far from one another… …Let's go."

* * *

When Squall said that the inside of the tomb was going to be a maze, he had no idea just how right he was.

The architects who designed the tomb had laid it out like a labyrinth. The entire structure was filled with numerous corridors that were identical in every little way. This was done to prevent thieves from raiding the tomb, ensuring that they would become lost and discouraged as they wandered the endless maze of corridors.

There turned out to be a little light inside the tomb. Years of neglect meant that the ceilings had collapsed in numerous places, and sunlight drifted into the corridors to light their way. It did not do anything to help guide them through the tomb, but it was more preferable than wandering in total darkness.

It was very easy to become lost. Squall thought of Angelo, waiting outside of the tomb. The dog's nose would have been perfect in a place like this, and wished he had brought the dog in with them. Instead, Squall tried to signpost their way by leaving a scratch mark in the walls, made by slashing his sword across the stone. The walls were rotted and covered with slime, formed from years of rain falling through the cracks in the ceiling. The rain had filtered into dirt-filled gutters lining the corridors, leaving a fetid stench in the air.

It was not long before they ran into the first of the monsters that had taken up residence inside the tomb. An Armadodo—an armadillo-like monster with a thick, armoured shell across its back—emerged from one of the corridors. It lumbered towards them on short, stocky legs, grunting with every step. The Armadodo was tough, its shell almost impregnable, but once it was knocked over it was helpless. A quick shot from Irvine's gun finished the monster off, and the companions returned to wandering the maze.

After a while Rinoa stopped. The others carried on walking ahead of her. Rinoa put her hands on her hips and frowned, deep in thought. "You know," she said, "I'm starting to think that this was a bad idea… Do we even know where we are? We could get lost in this place and never find our way out."

Up ahead the others stopped. Quistis folded her arms and said: "Rinoa has a point. There's no sense us getting lost." She turned to Squall. "Should we head back?"

"But—what about the GF!" protested Zell.

Squall closed his eyes, feeling for the GF's presence. It was very close and yet, somewhere within the tomb, he was sure he could feel _another_ presence. Perhaps it was another GF, he told himself. "We're almost there," he said, opening his eyes.

"Hey!" Selphie ran ahead to where the path once again split into three. She pointed to the right-hand path. "There's a light down this way! Maybe it's the way out?"

The group headed down the path, following the light. Although it did not lead them to the exit, it did lead them to a large, empty room: one of the many rooms that lay within the tomb.

The room was not entirely empty. In the middle of the room was a statue of a minotaur, standing on a large stone slab. The statue was tall, rising almost to the ceiling. The minotaur was dressed in some form of leather armour and carried a mace in his hands, and every part of the statue was carved down to the smallest detail, including creases in the armour. The minotaur's eyes were open and his lips were curled back, baring a set of ferocious-looking fangs. The horns that curled around his head were sharp, not dulled by age. All in all, it was a chilling sight.

The light that Selphie spoke of came from underneath the stone slab. Tiny flecks of light peeked out from beneath the slab, giving a bit more light into the room. The group entered the chamber and spread out, looking around the room.

Rinoa approached the statue. On the slab, the word 'SACRED' was carved in large, faded lettering. _Must be the name of the statue,_ Rinoa thought to herself.

She gazed up at the minotaur. From the way it was standing, she guessed it must be standing guard. It looked so lifelike. Every feature was carved in perfect detail, from the way its horns rose from its head to the way its lips folded back into a silent roar. Rinoa almost felt that if she were to reach out and touch it, the statue might move. Reaching up, Rinoa laid her hand on the minotaur's arm.

The statue rumbled from deep within. Rinoa drew back her hand in alarm and stepped back as the stone dissolved and fell away like a fine layer of dust to reveal not a statue, but a very real and very _live_ minotaur. The minotaur lowered his mace and shook his head, shaking off the dust. He snorted, blowing out more dust. Then he threw back his head and roared, causing the chamber walls to tremble.

Rinoa staggered backward. Hands gripped her shoulders and she looked back to find Irvine standing behind her. The gunman flashed her a charming smile, and he winked at her. Rinoa blushed, her face hot. She pulled herself away from Irvine's grasp and stomped forward to rejoin Squall and the others, who had gathered in front of the roaring minotaur.

The minotaur, whose name was indeed Sacred, finished roaring and closed his mouth. He licked his lips. He opened his eyes. "WHO'S THERE!" he bellowed in a deep, rumbling voice.

The minotaur lowered his head and looked around. His eyes fell on the six people standing before him. Each one of them had drawn their weapons, expecting a fight. This minotaur was the GF they were searching for.

Sacred cast his eyes over the six humans. He turned his mace over in his hands, his fingers stretching as they curled around the handle. The GF growled, and his tongue passed over his teeth. The GF bent his knees and then jumped off the slab, his mace raised over his head.

The others responded quickly, as they leapt out of the way of the attack. The mace smashed into the floor, breaking through the stone and turning it into rubble.

Squall stopped and looked down at the ground where the mace had broken through the stone. Sacred lifted the mace and held it in his hands, tapping the spiked head into his palm. Squall turned his gaze from the floor to the GF, who grinned and gestured for the humans to come and strike him. Sacred had such monster strength, and he wielded that mace as easily as they wielded their own weapons. He was also supremely confident in his ability to beat them. After all, they were human, and he was a Guardian Force. What hope could they have?

Zell made the first strike and charged. Sacred swung his mace but missed the fighter, who dodged the blow and continued running past the GF. The minotaur started to turn but stopped when he heard a _crack_ and a stabbing pain hit his left shoulder. The GF turned and saw Quistis standing close by, her whip in her hand. The whipmaster gave the weapon another crack and struck Sacred on his broad chest.

Behind the GF, Zell leapt onto the stone slab. Turning back, the fighter leapt off the slab and onto Sacred's back. Before Sacred could react Zell kicked him in the back of the head—a shocking blow. The GF staggered but then reached behind him and snatched Zell from his back with one large hand. He flung Zell across the room. The fighter flew through the air and crashed into Selphie as she ran in to catch him. The two fell back and skidded across the ground, out of the chamber.

Sacred started to go after them, but he stopped as Rinoa and Irvine ran in front and blocked his path. Irvine opened fire and shot at the ground by the GF's feet, forcing him back.

As the GF retreated Rinoa raised her arms over her head and closed her eyes. Ice crystals started to form around her hands. They gathered at a fixed point around her Pinwheel and then spread, encasing the projectile in a thin, sparkling layer of ice. When the spell was complete Rinoa lowered her arms and released the Pinwheel, sending it flying towards Sacred.

Seeing the projectile coming, Sacred took a step back. He swung his mace and knocked the Pinwheel out of the air, causing the ice to shatter. The projectile swerved off-course and flew about the chamber. Quistis ducked as it came zipping by her, and Irvine was also forced to duck also as the weapon flew by very close to him. It bounced off one of the walls and then headed back to Rinoa, who raised her arm and caught the weapon on the mechanism.

"Rinoa! Look out!" called Irvine.

Rinoa looked up. Sacred was charging at her. The young woman froze. Her mind raced. She knew she had to move, to get out of the way, but her feet would not move. Sacred was upon her; his shadow fell over her, and his eyes gleamed as he looked back at her. The GF raised his mace and then started to bring it down, preparing to smash her where she stood.

Something bashed into Rinoa from the side and knocked her out of the way. Rinoa tumbled to the floor, banging her elbow on the hard stone. A sharp pain shot up her arm and broke her from her reverie. Rinoa gasped. She looked about in confusion and then looked up at the two figures standing next to her.

One of them was Sacred. The other one was Squall. Seeing Rinoa frozen, the swordsman had rushed in to shove her out of the way before blocking the GF's mace with his own weapon. Now Squall and Sacred stood face-to-face with their weapons locked together, each pushing against the other. It was a losing battle, for Sacred was much larger and much stronger. Squall refused to give up and continue to hold Sacred back, just long enough for Rinoa to scrabble away.

Once she was out of harm's way Squall pulled back his sword. At once Sacred lunged at him and brought down his mace, but Squall was already moving. The swordsman leapt backwards as the mace smashed into the ground at his feet, passing so close that Squall could feel the movement of the air as it passed him by. As before the mace broke through the stone slabs, sending rock tumbling through the air.

The GF did not wait for the stones to settle before he charged and caught up to Squall. The swordsman ducked and dodged as Sacred swung his mace again and again, trying to land a blow. Squall knew that even a single hit from the mace would critical, perhaps even fatal, so he did everything he could to avoid the swinging blows. When his body could not move fast enough, Squall used his sword to block them. Each powerful strike jarred Squall's body and he felt that at any moment his arms were going to be wrenched from his shoulders.

As Squall stepped back his boot caught on a rock. He slipped, caught off-balance, and he lowered his sword as he sought to keep his balance. With his guard lowered, Sacred moved in and reached out with one large hand, aiming to snatch up the swordsman as he fell.

Movement caught his eye and Sacred looked up. Zell, whom he had flung from the room not long before, was back on his feet and charging towards him. Sacred started to raise his arm in defence but moved too slow. Zell leapt over Squall and up to Sacred. He punched and struck Sacred on his jaw. Zell landed and then jumped again, this time bringing up his leg to kick the GF's chin. The GF roared as his head was flung back by the strength of the fighter's kick. He lost his grip on his mace, and it clattered onto the ground. One more time Zell jumped and struck the GF a harsh blow to the gut with his fist. This final blow sent the GF careening backwards.

Zell turned and stretched out his arm. As he did so Selphie, who had been hanging back for an opening, ran in and leapt onto his arm. Zell flung his arm up and sent Selphie flying into the air towards Sacred. The girl swung her Flail and smashed the wooden bar across Sacred's face. The impact caused the GF to spin around. He tripped over his feet and started to fall. A fireball exploded on the ground before he landed—cast by Quistis—and sent the GF flying.

Sacred crashed into the back wall of the chamber. The wall cracked, and a few loose rocks tumbled loose. The GF then slipped from the wall and landed heavily on the stone slab. The tremor could be felt all through the floor. Squall, now on his feet again, stepped forward and stood in front of the slab. He raised his sword and held it ready, his eyes on Sacred. The others stood around him, their weapons ready.

On the slab, the GF lay still. A blue light shimmered and passed over his body. His wounds—burns and grazes—started to heal. When the light faded Sacred grunted and pushed himself to his feet. He shook himself, shaking off the stones that had caught in his armour. The GF then turned to the six humans standing before him.

"THEY'RE PRETTY STRONG!" the GF observed. He looked around. His lips curled back and he snarled in disgust. "BASTARDS!" he bellowed, and the ground trembled at the sound of his voice. "IT AIN'T OVER!"

Sacred leapt off the altar. The companions scattered as he slammed into the ground in front of them. Instead of attacking the GF charged, heading for the exit. Zell tried to cut him off, but the GF swung his fist and swept him out of the way. The fighter slammed into the wall and slumped to the ground. The GF meanwhile kept on going. He picked up his mace as he ran past and headed out the door into the corridor. When he reached the end he turned the corner and disappeared from sight, leaving only the sound of his running footsteps behind him.

"Hey, wait up!" Selphie called, and she ran down the corridor after the GF.

"Selphie, you wait up!" Irvine shouted after her, but Selphie did not listen and turned the corner to chase after Sacred. Irvine cursed and ran after her, not wanting Selphie to chase after the GF alone.

Squall and the others meanwhile remained in the altar room. Rinoa walked over to Zell, who sat slumped against the wall, rubbing his head.

"Are you okay, Zell?" she asked, kneeling down next to him.

"Yeah…" he replied. He rubbed his head and winced.

Rinoa leaned over and parted his hair to inspect his head. The wound was superficial; there was no blood, only a slight swelling. Zell would have a headache for a while, but that was all. Still, knowing that sometimes even seemingly harmless injuries could have disastrous—or lethal—consequences, Rinoa placed her hand over the bump and cast _Cure_ on it. It was better to be safe than sorry.

When Zell was able to stand again, the group headed out of the chamber. As they passed through the door, the room started to shake. The stone slab started to sink into the ground, like a pressed switch. It was of no concern of theirs, so the four companions left the room and headed back into the maze.

Selphie and Irvine were waiting for them at the end of the corridor. "Where did the GF go?" Quistis asked them.

Selphie turned to her. "We lost him!" she cried in dismay. She stamped her foot. "We have to go after him, quick!"

"It took all I had to stop her going off alone," Irvine said. He turned to Squall and flicked his hat, grinning. "Spunky, isn't she?"

Quistis folded her arms. "Well, Squall?" she asked, also turning to the swordsman. "Should we go after him? He could be anywhere in this tomb. Perhaps it would be safer to cut our losses and just get out of here, while we still can."

Squall lowered his head and thought their options over. Quistis was right, of course. The inside of the tomb was a labyrinth, and they had no way of navigating it. If they got lost, it could be days before they found their way out again. They had already achieved their goal. It would make more sense for them to quit now and focus on finding their way out again.

Yet something about their battle with the GF bothered him. Sacred had not held back, yet Squall felt that he had given up a little too easily. Furthermore, instead of yielding and agreeing to form a pact with them—as most GF did—Sacred chose to run off. Squall did not know why, but he was certain that there was a reason behind it. And besides, it irked him to leave a GF unclaimed, or so he told himself.

"We'll keep on going," he decided, raising his head. Catching Quistis's frown he added: "If we find our way out first, we'll leave. Otherwise, let's keep on going."

Selphie cheered and clapped her hands in the air. She then turned and ran down the corridor, with Irvine running close behind her. Squall and the others followed more slowly, as they headed further into the maze in search of the GF Sacred.

* * *

_**A Note from the Authoress**_

Again, apologies for the delay in getting this chapter finished. I've had a lot of stress with work, but now I've been told my job is safe I may be able to write a bit more. I've also had a lot of trouble planning the battles for this game; they keep sticking me in cramped areas where there's not realistically much space to fight. This battle has been redrafted about three times, and I'm sticking with this one. At the moment I'm drafting out the next battle. I'll try and get it done as soon as possible.


	31. Part 03: Chapter 28

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

The group wandered the corridors for nearly an hour before they found themselves standing on a long wooden bridge leading to what they assumed to be the centre of the unknown king's tomb.

At the heart of the labyrinth, the tomb opened up into a vast chamber. Here the walls rose straight to the very top of the tomb, where the roof opened up to let sunlight filter down into the chamber. Fresh air also blew in from there; a great relief from the stale and stagnant hallways of the outer tomb.

A lone tower stood in the middle of the chamber. It was built from the same grey stone as the rest of the tomb. It was crumbling with age, with moss creeping along the walls. Only a single doorway led into the tower, shrouded in shadow. This was the entrance to the sepulchre, the final resting place of Dollet's emperor.

The tower was guarded by a wide, flowing moat that ran around the interior. The waters, though stale and filled with moss, flowed gently through the chamber. Insects buzzed over the surface of the water, and they could just see the shadows of fish swimming along the bottom. It reminded those from Balamb Garden of the Training Centre, with its tropical atmosphere and still lake.

Since the moat filled most of the chamber, the tower would have been inaccessible if it were not for the bridge. The bridge was old and built of strong wood. Strangely, the bridge was wet, even though the paths around it were dry.

Finding their way to the bridge had proven to be difficult. It was not long after they left the excavation room that they lost their way again. All traces of Sacred had vanished. Only their senses had told them that the GF was still somewhere inside the tomb. It was this sense that they followed, hoping it would lead them to Sacred.

After some wandering they had come to a water-gate room. The back wall of the room was missing, opening up into a large courtyard filled with flowing water. There was no way out into the courtyard, for a large stone slab held up by a chain blocked the exit. The chain had snapped when Irvine tugged on it, and the slab had fallen down into a deep crevasse carved into the floor. The courtyard waters then tumbled into the room, sending spray flying and soaking the group. The waters spilled into the crevasse, which led into a tunnel running underneath the floor. They group had listened as they heard the water gush through the floor and realised that the water was flowing underneath the tomb itself.

After leaving the water-gate they were attacked by one of the undead that prowled the labyrinth. It was a creature known only as 'Forbidden' and unlike the simplistic Armadodo it was much more of a threat. As one of the undead it had a high resistance to physical and magic attacks, and so they had used one of the healing items given to them by the Forest Fox leader to weaken the creature before striking, delivering a flurry of assaults and leaving it no room to retaliate. Eventually the foul magics holding the monster together had given way, and the Forbidden's body crumbled back into dust.

While they had fought, all eyes had been focused on Irvine. As a new member to their group, they knew nothing about his skills or battle styles. As a gunman, Irvine chose to attack from a distance, using his shotgun to provide cover for his allies, or to launch attacks whenever he saw an opening in the enemy's defence. He was also a very good shot and, as he had earlier proclaimed, never missed his target. Even Zell was forced to admit that Irvine's skills with a gun were not mere boasting. It was an encouraging find, considering the nature of their mission.

After defeating the Forbidden they had returned to wandering the corridors. They were just about to give up hope on ever finding him when they had come across another of the tomb's hidden chambers. As with the water-gate room the back wall opened up into the courtyard, and they could see the water flowing by. An old waterwheel, clogged with mud and moss, stood just outside. The wheel was controlled by gears built along the walls inside of the room, but these had been blocked and the wheel had stopped turning. Once the blockage was removed the wheel began to turn again, churning the waters back to life.

Now the group found themselves outside of the sepulchre. Selphie ran forward onto the bridge, which groaned and creaked as she ran across its old, wooden planks. The girl spread her arms and lifted her head to the sunlight, smiling.

Squall looked ahead to the burial chamber. He could not see beyond the shadows, but he knew that Sacred was inside. The GF's presence was strong in here, stronger than it had seemed before. The feeling that there was more than one unusual presence inside the tomb grew. Sacred was not alone.

The swordsman looked to Rinoa and the others. Each one nodded their heads. It was a unanimous decision. They would enter the sepulchre and face Sacred again.

The companions crossed the bridge and entered the burial chamber. It was dark inside, though a little light streamed in from a hole in the roof at the top of the tower. The chamber itself was quite small, and seemed quite unbefitting for the burial place of an emperor. There were no treasures, no caskets containing jewellery or riches. There were no statues or carvings depicting the emperor's rule. The only item in the room was a large stone coffin. The coffin's surface was unadorned, plain, and completely unremarkable.

As they expected, Sacred was also in the burial chamber. The GF was standing on top of the emperor's coffin. He did not seem to notice them at first, for his head was lowered in thought. Only when the group piled into the chamber and stood before him did the GF raise his head. He jumped, startled, and almost dropped his mace.

"Y-YO, YOU BACK AGAIN!" he bellowed, though his voice trembled. His eyes shifted about, and he twisted the mace's handle in his hands. He seemed nervous. "TOOK IT EASY ON YOU LAST TIME BUT NOT THIS TIME! T-THIS TIME, M-MY BIG BRO IS WITH ME! N-NOW'S YOUR CHANCE TO RUN AWAY, MAN!"

The GF threw back his head and roared. The walls trembled, and the ground lurched.

"BRO!"

A second roar sounded in response to Sacred's call. This roar was deeper and rumbled through the ground like a small quake. The transparent image of another minotaur appeared before them, between them and Sacred. He stood taller than Sacred at first but then started to shrink until he was half the size of the GF. The image solidified. This was Minotaur, the older brother of the GF Sacred. Like his brother, he too carried a spiked mace as a weapon. The two were almost impossible to tell apart, except for the size difference. Together they made up the legendary GF combo known only as the 'Brothers'.

"Yeah, bro," Minotaur replied in a deep and gruff voice.

Sacred lowered his mace and jabbed his stubby fingers at Squall and his group. "Y-YO, BRO, THESE GUYS CRASHED THE TOMB! P-PLUS, THEY ATTACKED ME!"

Hearing this, Squall folded his arms and frowned. Was he for real? Sacred sounded like a child telling tales on bullies who were picking on him. For an instant, Squall started to regret having searched for the GF at all.

Minotaur raised his eyes and looked around at the humans. Although only half the size of his younger brother, he was eyelevel with Squall and the others. The GF's eyes drifted slowly from one to the other, taking them in.

"Oh, really…" he said. He sounded impressed. "They attacked you? Not bad for a human…"

The GF's eyes fell on Squall. The swordsman stared right back at him, his expression blank. At first, Squall had been surprised to see that Minotaur was so small in comparison to his brother. Yet as he looked into those tiny yellow eyes, Squall could see the strength that lay behind them. Minotaur was the stronger of the two GF, of that there was no doubt. Sacred alone was strong, but alongside his brother they would make a formidable foe… and a formidable ally.

Behind Squall, Selphie clapped her hands. "Tee-hee!" she started to giggle. "The older brother is so cute!"

Startled by this remark, Sacred stepped back. He slammed his foot down on the coffin, and a crack appeared. "Y-YO, BRO!" he called down to his brother. "T-THEY'RE MAKIN' FUN OF US!"

Minotaur glanced at his brother, and then turned his eyes back to the group. His lips curled as he drew his mouth back into a sneer: a look that sent chills down Rinoa's spine. The GF growled deep in his throat, and the earth seemed to rumble with him.

"…Foolish little humans," said the GF. He took a step forward, and the chamber quivered as his feet touched the floor. He raised his mace and rested it against his shoulder. He crouched, leaning slightly forward, ready for battle. "…I'll show you," Minotaur snarled, "not to judge a book by its cover…"

Squall drew his gunblade and held it out. Behind him, the others did the same and raised their own weapons. Sacred, in turn, jumped off the coffin and stomped forward to stand by his brother. Both GF stood side by side, their weapons ready. Sacred snarled, his earlier nervousness forgotten in the presence of his brother.

It was Minotaur who made the first strike. Without warning the GF broke into a run, stampeding towards them. His mace, resting on his shoulder, came up. With a roar the GF brought it down at the feet of the six companions.

The impact was more powerful than when Sacred had done it. The ground did not only crack but was split wide open. In its wake, a powerful shockwave ripped through the ground. The entire structure groaned as the shockwave passed through, all the way down to its foundations, shaken to life by the sounds of battle.

The monsters prowling the tomb corridors scattered. Armadodos curled up in corners, hiding themselves with their shells. Blobras fled for the water and sank into the murky depths, their bodies merging with the water. Buels gathered and flew up to the rooftops. Even the Forbidden, which feared nothing in the living world, retreated into the shadows.

Outside of the tomb, the ground continued to quake. The birds nesting in the rafters squawked and took flight. Only those with hatchlings too young to fly remained, staying to protect their young. The chicks cowered beneath their mothers' wings, chirping in fear.

Inside the sepulchre, the battle between the six companions and the GF raged. The two brothers—Sacred and Minotaur—fought together as a pair. They attacked together and defended each other and, using their combined strength, they sought to drive the companions back.

Within a matter of minutes, the burial chamber was unrecognisable. Chunks of rock were missing from the walls, and debris littered the floor. Scorch marks, made from blasts of _Fire _and _Thunder_, covered the walls.

The only thing left untouched by the battle was the coffin. Both Minotaur and Sacred went to great lengths to protect the coffin from harm, and made sure to direct the battle away from it. It furthered Zell's theory that the GF were summoned in order to protect the tomb, and the burial chamber where the former emperor now lay.

Minotaur charged and swung his mace at Squall. The swordsman jumped back out of the way as the spiked ball _whooshed_ past his head, and then moved in close with his sword raised, as though preparing to strike the GF. When Minotaur raised his arms to defend his face, Squall lowered his sword and ran past him. He dashed towards the coffin.

The GF turned to go after him, but as he did there was a loud _crack_ as Quistis flicked her whip. The tail lashed Minotaur's arm and wrapped around it. The former instructor snapped the whip tight before tugging on it with all her might. Minotaur, caught off-balance, fell back landed on the stone ground with a loud thud.

Minotaur shook his head, and when he looked up he saw that Squall was standing over him. Catching the flash of a blade, Minotaur rolled aside. The blade clashed against the ground. As he rolled onto his front Minotaur picked up his mace and swung it at Squall. The spiked ball missed, but the metal pole caught the swordsman in the chest. The blow sent Squall flying and he crashed into the wall. Squall slumped to the floor and held his ribs, winded.

As the swordsman slumped, Minotaur roared and charged towards him. Bullets whizzed past him as Irvine tried to halt his advance, but they merely clanged off his armour and Minotaur kept on charging.

Rinoa ran forward and stopped in front of Squall. Flames danced along her arm as she raised her Pinwheel and fired. The projectile flashed as it burst through the fire surrounding her, and dragged the flames along with it. Minotaur stopped and braced himself as the Pinwheel slammed into his forearms. At Rinoa's silent command the flames condensed and then exploded, smothering Minotaur in a blanket of fire. The GF roared and staggered back, batting away the flames.

Yet Rinoa was not done. She extended her arm to catch the Pinwheel as it made its return journey towards her, and latched back onto her arm. The lingering flames on the Pinwheel's surface glowed white-hot before moving towards Rinoa's fingertips. There the flames swirled and danced around her hand. Rinoa drew her hand close to her chest before sweeping it out before her in a long arc.

"Ifrit!"

The flames around her hand exploded into a cloud of raging fire. From the depths of those flames Ifrit emerged. The GF slammed onto the ground before leaping towards Minotaur, his mouth wide open as he roared.

Now free of the flames, Minotaur stepped forward and swung his mace at Ifrit. The larger GF reached out with one hand and grabbed the mace by its spiked ball, halting its approach. The metal spikes dug into his palm, and blood dripped down onto the floor. Yet despite the pain the spikes must have caused to Ifrit, the GF did not release his grip, and held the mace in place. The blood-drops, heated by Ifrit's own fiery nature, sizzled and turned black.

Minotaur lifted his head to look up at Ifrit. Despite the height difference between them, Minotaur showed no fear as he scowled. "Ifrit…" the GF growled.

Ifrit responded only with a snarl. He tightened his grip on the mace—ignoring the pain—and began to push it back towards Minotaur. The opposing GF pushed against him. Both GF were locked together in a struggle for dominance, each trying to overpower the other. Behind Ifrit, Rinoa helped Squall to his feet and together they hurried out of the way.

The two GF were matched in strength. As things stood, neither of them was going anywhere. Realising this, Minotaur ducked and stepped back, pulling his mace with him. Ifrit lurched forward. With the fiery GF off-balance, Minotaur swung his mace and landed a devastating blow to the side of Ifrit's face. The blow flung Ifrit against the chamber wall. The GF tried to stand, but then slumped. Flames swept swiftly over his body, and Ifrit disappeared.

Minotaur threw back his head and roared in triumph.

While Minotaur was wrestling with the GF Ifrit, Sacred was locked in his own struggle. The GF jumped back as Irvine opened fire, and then again as Selphie used _Blizzard_ to hurl a ball of ice. The GF smashed the ice ball with his fist before switching to the offensive, surging forward and swinging his mace in a long arc.

Irvine leaned back as the mace came whizzing past him. After regaining his balance he fired, and the bullet _pinged_ off Sacred's armour.

Selphie meanwhile, was backed up against the wall. When Sacred's mace flew towards she jumped back, only to find herself trapped by the wall with nowhere to go. When Irvine fired at the GF Selphie tried to make a run for it, but Sacred spotted her and leapt in front, blocking her escape.

The girl tried to fight back. She swung her nunchaku, but Sacred grabbed the bar as it swung past. He yanked it from her hands. He held the two bars in his hands and pulled until chain snapped in two. Then, holding the two bars together, he bent them until the wooden bars split and broke. The GF cast the broken weapon aside. Selphie could only watch in dismay as her broken weapon clattered at her feet.

The GF put down his head, baring his long, red horns. Selphie shrieked, ducked, and placed her hands over her head. Her eyes squeezed shut. Selphie braced herself. At any moment Sacred's horns would pierce her body.

Except that it did not happen. After a few seconds ticked by and Selphie realised that she was still alive, she opened her eyes and raised her head.

Sacred was standing right in front of her. His horns were barely a metre away from her face. The GF's bull-like face huffed and grunted in annoyance as he fought to move forward, yet for some reason was unable to. Selphie looked at the GF's horn. The tail-end of a whip was wrapped tight around Sacred's left horn, and holding onto the other end of that whip… was Quistis. In that instant when Sacred charged, the instructor had cracked her whip and caught Sacred, stopping him in his tracks.

The GF snarled and strained against the whip that held him back. Quistis's hands trembled as she fought against the pull. Instead she began to tug the whip towards her, pulling Sacred away from Selphie. Sacred growled and thrashed his head. The whip held tight and Quistis continued to draw him away from Selphie. Once he was clear, Selphie ducked and ran towards Irvine.

Seeing that Selphie was safe, Quistis altered her attack. She gripped the whip handle in her right hand, and placed her left palm on the whip.

"_Thunder!"_ she called.

At her command an electrical bolt darted from her fingertips and onto the whip. It moved along the length of the weapon until it reached Sacred. On contact the charge exploded, and Sacred roared in pain as he became engulfed in a powerful storm of electrical energy. He roared and roared and thrashed his arms.

With a flick of her wrist, the whip uncurled from around Sacred's horn and returned to Quistis. Yet the instructor kept her arm raised. She continued to channel her energy to maintain the storm's strength.

As the GF thrashed, Zell saw his opening and charged in. Before he could lay even a single blow on the GF, Sacred, in the midst of his thrashing, swept out a hand and caught Zell on the side of the head. The accidental blow lifted Zell off his feet and sent him flying out of the door.

For a moment, all Zell saw was grey. Then the grey changed into light as he found himself flying through the air outside of the sepulchre. He landed on the wooden bridge and rolled until he reached the edge. He fell over the side of the bridge and slipped into the water. He submerged, out of sight.

Sacred, however, had not even realised that anything had happened. The GF just continued with his anguished roaring, the storm still raging around him.

Hearing his brother roaring in pain, Minotaur turned from his fight with Squall and rushed to Sacred's aid. Before he could reach him, Irvine ran and blocked his path. The gunman raised his gun, but with a single sweep of his large hand Minotaur pushed Irvine aside. The cowboy lost his balance and fell against Rinoa, and the two fell down onto the floor.

The waves of electricity swarming over Sacred's body faded. The GF shook and patted his head, trying to clear it. When he was done he started to turn, but before he could move he found Zell in front of him. The fighter had dragged himself out of the water and ran straight back into the battle. He delivered a punch underneath the GF's chin. Sacred's head snapped back and he fell off-balance, falling to the floor.

Even as Sacred fell, Zell continued to attack. He dived on the GF, slamming his body against him and pinning him to the floor. He rammed his elbow in Sacred's gut, and the GF groaned. When Sacred tried to grab the fighter and fling him off, Quistis cracked her whip. The stinging lash caused Sacred to flinch and draw back his hand, leaving him at the mercy of Zell's fists.

The fighter raised his fist. Lightning swirled around his arm, being drawn into a point in front of his fist. The fighter gave a yell before he punched downwards. He struck, hard, in the middle of the GF's trace. The lightning left his hands on impact and swept over Sacred in a flash. The impact also created a shockwave that passed through Sacred and into the ground, causing the chamber to tremble.

Sacred's mouth opened in a long, silent roar. Much of the impact was absorbed by the earth beneath him, but his senses were still rocked by the shock. His throat muscles contracted, restricting his air and preventing his voice from crying out.

Through the storm of lightning, he could see Zell. These humans… Sacred had underestimated them. They were not like all the others who had entered the tomb, seeking to plunder the burial chamber and its secrets. The 'others'—pirates, thieves, or just the plain curious—had all run from the tomb in fear. Yet these six humans: small, loud, and strange… These ones stood their ground. They did not run. Even in the face of the mighty Brothers.

All of this and more Sacred realised as the lightning flickered and ebbed away. Zell jumped from Sacred's chest and stood in front of him. The fighter raised his fists, ready for more.

The fighter was not about to get his wish. With that last assault, Sacred knew that he was done. He had fought one battle already, and that second _Thunder_ strike had drained what strength had left. Though it irked Sacred to admit it, there was little more he could do against the might of these humans.

The GF groaned and climbed back onto his feet. His muscles ached with every movement. Before him, Zell readied himself. Selphie stood behind him, her arms poised, the beginnings of a spell already on her lips.

With great effort, Sacred bent down and picked his mace up off the floor. His eyes drifted to his brother, locked once again in a battle with Squall and Rinoa.

"BRO," the GF rumbled. His body started to fade. "I LOST…"

Minotaur heard Sacred's words and turned just in time to see Sacred's body vanish from sight, returning to the earth. His eyes widened, surprised, before quickly narrowing into anger. His fingers, clenched around his weapon, tightened and started to shake. An uncontrollable fury overcame him. Throwing back his head, Minotaur roared. The sound of his roar echoed throughout the tomb.

Squall, forced onto his knees after defending himself from Minotaur's attacks, rose to his feet. There was a bleeding cut on his forehead when Minotaur's mace came a little too close for comfort, but it was superficial damage. The swordsman walked around Minotaur and stood in front of him. He raised his sword.

"This is it," he said to the others, as they each gathered around the roaring Minotaur. "He's the last one. Don't let down your guard. Hold your ground. Beat him down!"

"Right!" said Zell and Selphie together. Quistis cracked her whip, and Irvine snapped the barrel of his gun shut. Beside Squall, Rinoa nodded. They were ready.

Selphie began the final assault. With her weapon broken she instead relied on her magic. The air around her became bitterly cold as she called _Blizzard_ into her hands. The ground around Minotaur's feet froze over, and ice began to rise around the GF. The ice closed around him, trapping him in a frozen prison.

The ice did not hold him for long. Minotaur strained against the ice, and cracks started to form along its surface. Moments later the ice shattered as Minotaur broke free. With a roar he charged towards her, his nostrils flared and snorting with each step. Selphie jumped back as the GF swung his mace. Her boot caught on a rock, and she fell back onto the floor.

Minotaur raised his mace. As it came down Irvine dived in, took Selphie in his arms and pushed her out of the way. The mace slammed down into the ground where the girl had stood. Releasing Selphie, Irvine rolled onto his knees and raised his shotgun. He fired. The shots _pinged_ off Minotaur's armour, denting but not piercing.

At this point Zell ran in. He ducked and dodged as Minotaur tried to strike him, and then ran in close. He jumped and kicked Minotaur in the jaw, forcing his head back. With the GF off-balance, Rinoa cast _Blizzard_ onto the ground at Minotaur's feet. Instead of trapping him, a thin layer of ice spread upon the ground. When Minotaur's small feet stepped upon the ice he slipped, and the GF fell onto his back.

Minotaur lay on the ground, stunned. He shook his head and then looked up above him. Squall was standing over him, his sword raised over his head. Minotaur quickly rolled to the side as the blade came down and slashed against the ground, shattering the ice. Minotaur rolled onto his front, grabbed hold of Squall's leg, and yanked the swordsman off his feet.

"Squall!" called Rinoa. She started to run in, but Quistis grabbed her arm and held her back. Rinoa glared at her, but Quistis only shook her head again.

On the ground, Squall looked up. He saw that Minotaur was now standing over him, his mace raised—a complete reversal of their previous positions. Instead of rolling aside, Squall raised his weapon. He called _Fire_ into the sword, and sparks of fire began to form along the blade. Squall then pulled on the gunblade's trigger. The blanks shot forth out of the barrel. The blanks passed through the flames and ignited. They struck Minotaur in the centre of his armour and then exploded.

The explosion sent Minotaur staggering backwards. The GF slipped and fell back against the stone coffin of the Dollet emperor. An old metal lock, worn and rusted with age, snapped and fell off as the GF slammed against it. The coffin shuddered, and dust slipped off the casing and onto the floor.

Minotaur spared a quick glance back at the coffin. The lock was broken, but the coffin remained closed and undamaged. The GF looked back at the six companions, who gathered in a single line in front of him. Minotaur's eyes narrowed and his lips drew back, baring his yellowed teeth. His tongue passed along the inside of his mouth, and he let out an angered snarl. He stood, picked up his mace, and charged.

The companions scattered. Quistis ran to the side and cracked her whip. The tail struck and wrapped around Minotaur's arm as he passed her by. The instructor was almost pulled off her feet as Minotaur ran, but she managed to slow him down just long enough for Zell to run in behind him. The fighter punched the GF from behind and knocked him to the ground.

Irvine fired, but Minotaur once again rolled onto his feet. He spun around to face Zell and struck with his fist, but the fighter was already moving, leaping out of the way. Quistis cracked her whip again and caught Minotaur's arm, but this time the GF grabbed hold of the whip and pulled, tugging Quistis towards him. The instructor quickly let go of the whip and jumped back as Minotaur's fist came swinging her way. Realising that he had missed, Minotaur roared and threw the whip away.

While the GF's back was turned, Squall ran in behind and swung his sword. The blade slashed across Minotaur's back, slicing through the armour and cutting flesh.

Minotaur roared and then turned. He swung his mace back at Squall, who blocked the blow with the edge of his blade. The collision jarred him to his bones, and his shoulders were almost wrenched from their sockets. Despite this Squall held firm, pushing back with his gunblade against Minotaur.

The two pressed against each other. The mace then slipped and Squall quickly stepped back before firing another flame-filled shot at Minotaur. The flames grew and swept quickly over Minotaur's body. The GF roared in pain, engulfed in flames and smoke.

Seeing her chance to strike, Rinoa ran in to join the battle. She raised her Pinwheel and fired, releasing it into the smoke. Inside there was a _clang_, and Minotaur's agonised cry sounded from within the flames. The Pinwheel then emerged from the smoke clouds and returned to her arm.

Minotaur also emerged from the smoke. A nasty cut from the Pinwheel's sharp edge crossed his face, from his chin and across his lip to his cheekbones. When he saw Rinoa he growled and then stomped towards her.

Irvine fired, trying to halt Minotaur in his tracks. The GF ignored the pings of the bullets on his armour and kept on going. Squall also tried to stop him, but was knocked aside with a sweep of the GF's hand.

Rinoa turned to flee. Reaching out, Minotaur grabbed the trail of her duster. He dragged her back and, as she struggled to escape, grabbed both of her hands in one large fist. With his other hand he wrenched the Pinwheel from her arm and threw it aside. He then lifted Rinoa up off the ground and held her there, her feet dangling.

"Rinoa!" called Quistis.

In Minotaur's grasp, Rinoa struggled to escape. She managed to get one of her hands free, but the other was held tight. Minotaur tightened his grip and Rinoa gasped in pain. The GF's skin was rough and dry as rock, rubbing painfully on her more delicate skin.

Minotaur held the woman up to his face. He snorted, and his rancid breath fell on her face. His eyes, small and yellow, glared at her.

Rinoa started to turn her head away. Then she stopped. Squall and the others were here. She could not show fear as long as they were with her. Rinoa let out a shaky breath and forced her head back to look at Minotaur. Though his gaze terrified her, she held it. She faced Minotaur and then thrust out her hand.

"_Summon!"_

The noise in the chamber dimmed. Outside of the sepulchre, the still waters of the moat turned from clear blue to a gentle rose and started to rise. They passed over the bridge and entered the chamber. Squall and the others pressed themselves against the wall as the swirling waters filled the chamber. It rose past their ankles and up to their thighs, and still rising.

Minotaur stepped back in alarm as the water sloshed around his legs. He swung his mace, but the weapon just splashed harmlessly through the water. Unseen hands in the water then grabbed of him and held him still. They tried to pull him down into the water, but Minotaur held his ground, refusing to succumb to their pull.

The waters rose higher still and more invisible hands grabbed hold of him. Minotaur struggled as he was then lifted off the ground and into the air, carried by the water.

The GF tried to fight back, to free himself from the hold of the water. Yet his hands touched nothing, only the water. There was nothing there that he could hit.

In the doorway, the water swelled and parted. The GF Siren, maiden of eternal silence, emerged. She was tall and graceful, with face that was so beautiful that many had tried to capture its image in song. Her lithe body was almost completely bare except for a thin layer of golden feathers tipped with hues of green and orange. The feathers folded over her chest and waist, lightly touching her soft, supple skin. Her long, golden hair drifted down her back and then split into two, forming into two large, feathery wings.

Barefoot, Siren stepped along the surface of the water and approached the struggling Minotaur. He saw her approach, and even he was startled by her sublime beauty. The reaction was short-lived, for the GF soon began to struggle once again.

Over by the wall, Selphie gasped in awe as she gazed at Siren. Her voice seemed to drift away from her, carried away by the waters and dwindling into silence. The girl held her throat. She tried to make a sound, but nothing came out. Siren's magic had cast the whole room into silence.

Siren stopped in front of Minotaur. In her hands she held a harp. The harp was made out of rough-cut emeralds, polished to leave a beautiful, crystalline finish. The strings, woven out of Siren's own golden hair, glimmered in the light from outside.

The sound of the water stilled. Minotaur's voice, like Selphie's, drifted away from him. Siren raised her harp and rested it against her left shoulder. Her long, wing-like hair rose and spread out encompass the GF before her. Siren placed her right hand on the harp and dragged her fingers lightly over the strings.

A beautiful, delicate sound, so soft it could barely be heard, drifted through the sepulchre. The notes were unusual, and almost inaudible, yet they hit Minotaur with as much force as if they were sounds played on full volume. The GF roared and screamed, writhing in the water, yet no sounds escaped his lips.

Siren continued to play, her fingers moving deftly across the strings. She did not even look at the harp as she played; her violet eyes were fixed only on Minotaur.

The waters holding Minotaur started to rise again. The silent notes that Siren played caused the waters to rise higher and higher, taking Minotaur with them. Siren's eyes followed the GF as he was carried up. Her fingers continued to play through a will of their own.

The water carried Minotaur to the very top of the room. There the waters came to a stop, holding the GF in the air. Away from the protective and nurturing effect of the earth, Minotaur was helpless. He could not defend himself, nor could he use the earth's effects to heal himself.

Siren's fingers started to slow and then ceased their playing. At that instant the sound returned to the room in what felt like a loud blast. At the same moment the unseen hands holding Minotaur vanished, and the GF fell. The water fell with him, its roar blending with Minotaur's own bellowing cry as both GF and water plummeted back down to the earth.

Minotaur landed with a crash at Siren's feet. His landing caused the ground to shake and sent a tidal wave of water surging out of the sepulchre. The companions braced themselves as the water splashed around them.

Rinoa, standing near to Siren, lost her balance and fell back into the water. She felt the water's pull and all she could see was waves of light rose—the colour of the water. A flash of gold pierced the rose and wrapped around her, lifting her out of the water. As she resurfaced Rinoa saw Siren standing beside her. The long feathers of one wing were curled around Rinoa's waist, holding her up.

The GF held Rinoa until the last of the waters receded. The water left the sepulchre and slipped back into the moat. The rose-coloured tint faded, and the waters returned to their tranquil state.

Siren released Rinoa. The GF then wrapped her feathery wings around herself, and she vanished in a flurry of feathers. Rinoa walked to where Siren had stood as golden feathers fell around her. She touched one. It glimmered at her touch and then dissolved. The other feathers also disappeared, leaving no trace.

The woman turned to look behind her. Minotaur was laid facedown in the middle of the chamber. His mace lay by him, but he made no move to reach for it. Rinoa's Pinwheel also lay nearby. Cautious, Rinoa approached and stopped next to Minotaur. She picked up her weapon and placed it back against her arm. The others walked up behind her.

Minotaur groaned. At once Rinoa and the rest of the group stood ready, preparing to continue with the fight.

Minotaur twitched, groaned again, and then slowly pushed himself to his feet. Water poured from his armour, and blood dripped from a busted nose. Placing his hands on the ground, he called upon the earth. A blue wave rose from his palms and passed over his body, healing his wounds. His busted nose twitched and stopped bleeding.

When he was fully healed, the GF picked up his mace and stood up straight. "The brothers," he grunted, his voice sounding weary. "Defeated…?"

The GF looked around at the six humans gathered before him. He was impressed and awed by the strength these humans possessed. Now he knew why Sacred had been defeated so quickly. At long last, Minotaur had encountered souls worthy of their strength. He lowered his mace.

"Mighty ones…" he said to the companions. "May we join you?"

Squall stared at Minotaur, and then lowered his sword. The others, one by one, did the same. Minotaur then held out his mace. He released it, and it floated in the air. The companions gathered around it and laid their hands on the weapon. When the pact was complete both the mace and Minotaur vanished, and the companions were alone in the sepulchre once more.

At the back of the room, something gave a _click._ The companions spun around. As they watched, the lid of the emperor's coffin lifted up. Selphie shrieked and pointed as a ghostly spectre floated out of the coffin. The spirit, dressed in the ancient armour of a Dollet knight, turned to face them. His face was hidden by an ornamental helmet, but ghostly eyes peered at them from beyond its mask. Squall realised at once who the spirit was: it was that of the Dollet emperor, the one for whom the tomb was built.

The spirit looked around at the companions. "…You are quite the powerful ones to have defeated the two brothers," an eerie voice said, emanating from the spirit. "Thanks to you, I am now free of this cramped stone coffin…" The spirit spread its arms, as though trying to stretch out muscles that were long since dead. "…However," the spirit added suddenly, "there is something I have been thinking of for a very long time. Is it really necessary to entomb those travelling to the other world, after such a long and tiring journey through life?"

Nobody gave an answer. The spirit did not seem to mind, for he then gave a polite bow before his body faded into the air.

The companions waited a minute or two before leaving the sepulchre. It did not take them long to find their way out of the tomb, for almost as soon as they left the sepulchre they spotted the student sword they had found on their way in. It was almost ironic that their final destination would be so close to the entrance.

Angelo was still waiting for them outside. When the dog saw them coming he ran joyfully towards Rinoa, who knelt down and took the dog in her arms. The dog licked her face and nuzzled her before then running to the rest of the group, showing them all how glad he was that they had returned.

When they had all finished fussing over Angelo, the companions left the courtyard and headed back towards their rented car. The car was waiting just as they had left it, and they headed back to Deling City as fast as they could, their mission complete.

* * *

**_A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS_**

Before anyone points it out: Yes, I did alter the typeset for Minotaur's speech. Just writing in lowercase bugs me. So it has correct typeset. Okay? Good. Onto the next one!


	32. Part 03: Chapter 29

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

The companions arrived back at Deling City within the hour and returned the car to the rental. Despite Selphie's protests, Squall insisted that they head straight back to General Caraway's mansion. They had kept the general waiting long enough.

The Galbadian soldier was still standing guard outside of the main gate. He did not seem to recognise them at first, but then he jumped as he remembered who they were. He also seemed surprised that they were back—clearly he had not expected them back any time soon.

"Yes, what is it?" he asked.

Squall stepped forward. "We're ready to answer," he informed the soldier. The soldier nodded, waiting for the answer. Squall recalled the number they had found etched on the student sword inside the tomb. "The code is 52."

Reaching into his pocket, the soldier pulled out a slip of folded paper. He read the contents and then nodded. "That's correct! Please, right this way."

The soldier led them towards the mansion. The building seemed even bigger up close. It was certainly very grand. The gardens filling the outer courtyard were vast and everything was in perfect order. The building was well-kept, and on the side wall the general's family crest hung from a banner. Squall paused for a moment and watched as the banner flapped in the wind.

The companions followed the soldier as he ran towards the mansion. The building seemed even bigger up close. It was certainly very grand-looking. The gardens were vast and everything was neatly ordered. On the side wall, the general's family crest hung from a banner, flapping in the wind. Squall paused and gazed up at it for a moment, before running ahead to catch up with the Galbadian soldier.

The soldier was waiting for them by the front door. As they approached he unlocked it and went inside, leaving the door open behind him.

Instead of going straight into the mansion, Squall stopped outside. The swordsman folded his arms as he gazed down at the floor, thinking.

_Both Balamb and Galbadia Garden are joining forces with the general of the Galbadian Army,_ the swordsman thought. _…Why?_ Squall frowned, looking troubled. He then shook his head. _…No point in me thinking about it. 'SeeDs aren't meant to question why'._

That was another quote from the Garden Code. Its simple statement meant that missions were not to be questioned, no matter what that mission might be. The only thing that mattered to a SeeD was the mission and its successful completion. Everything else was irrelevant. At least, that was how Squall had interpreted it.

While Squall was mulling this over, Rinoa left the others and walked over to him.

"Umm…" she began. "Is my contract… still in effect?"

Squall turned to her. She sounded nervous._ …What is it this time?_ he wondered.

Rinoa looked around her. When she was satisfied that no one was listening, she turned back to Squall and said: "Don't leave me in this house, okay?" She folded her hands behind her back. "Want me to explain why?

Squall sighed. _This might take a while…_ he guessed. He placed his hand on his hip. "You should know by now," he told her. "Just tell us what to do and we'll do it."

On hearing this Rinoa felt relieved. She relaxed. "Okay, then," she said. "Thanks."

Just then the others walked up, and Rinoa quickly left Squall's side. Squall watched her for a moment, his suspicions growing. There was no time to question her, however, so he dismissed his thoughts and led the way into Caraway's mansion.

Another soldier was waiting for them beyond the doorway. He greeted the group and escorted them to a waiting room on the ground floor. Squall and the others hesitated, but Rinoa walked straight and bold past the soldier and entered the room. The soldier's head turned to follow her as she walked by, but said nothing.

When everyone was inside the room, the soldier closed the door and left them.

They looked around the waiting room. The general was not here. There was a large, polished desk—the general's—at the back of the room, with shelves of books rising from the floor to the ceiling behind it. A few paintings lined the walls, and in one corner there was a marble statue standing in a small alcove. By the door, a collection of wine glasses stood along a set of shelves.

With nothing left to do but wait, the companions spread out and looked around the room. Irvine headed straight to the general's desk. After casting an eye over the contents, the gunman pulled back the chair and reclined in it. Ignoring Squall's warning glance, Irvine lifted his feet and rested them upon the desk. He lay back.

Rinoa and Quistis sat themselves down on the chairs in the centre of the room. Selphie went over to the window to look out at the city. Zell, meanwhile, thrust his hands into his pockets and began to pace around the room.

So the group waited. And they waited. Ten minutes went by and still they waited. Zell's pacing quickened. Quistis started to frown, and Selphie's fingers tapped against the windowsill. Only Irvine appeared to remain relaxed, lying back in Caraway's chair. The gunman busied himself by polishing his shotgun with a cloth, opening the barrel and cleaning inside.

After a while, Selphie turned from the window and said: "What's taking so long…!"

Quistis looked up at Squall. "He's making us wait quite a bit," she said.

Squall, who had been examining one of the paintings hanging on the wall, turned to her. Yes, it was a bit unusual that it was taking this long. He would have thought the general would be eager to see them and tell them the details of their mission. Perhaps the general had been delayed in some way, or—

"Hmph… He always does this!"

It was Rinoa who spoke out. Squall turned to her. The woman lifted her head and turned away, her lips pursed and scowling.

"So discourteous…" she continued. "Making people wait." Ignoring Quistis's inquiring glance, Rinoa rose off the chair. "I'm gonna go complain," she announced, before striding over to the door. "Everyone just wait here."

Opening the door, Rinoa walked out. She did not go far before she turned and came back in. "Oh, by the way," she added, "this is my house. So don't worry."

At this Zell jumped, startled. Quistis, too, rose to her feet in surprise. Rinoa, however, just smiled and left the room again, shutting the door behind her.

Squall laid his hand on his hip. So it was as he suspected. Rinoa was General Caraway's daughter. He had first suspected she had a connection to the general when he mentioned Caraway's name at Galbadia Garden. His suspicions grew when they reached Deling City, when Rinoa had let slip her familiarity with the city and the way to the general's home. Now it all made sense. Of course Rinoa would know. This was her home. Yet Rinoa was also a member of the Forest Owls.

…_Hope it doesn't lead to any trouble,_ the swordsman prayed.

Zell turned to Squall. "What the hell's goin' on!" he demanded.

Before Squall could reply, the door opened and General Caraway entered the room.

It was easy to tell from a glance that Caraway was Rinoa's father. They both had the same dark hair, and the scowl that covered the general's face was just the same as Rinoa's. Yet despite how similar the two looked in appearance, they were polar opposites in personality. Rinoa was free-spirited, and unyielding in her will. General Caraway was also unyielding, but he also thrived on discipline and strict order. This was a man whose skill in military tactics, along with his unbending will, had earned him a place in the top ranks of Galbadia's army.

"Where's Rinoa?" Squall asked the general.

General Caraway closed the door. "She has not received the type of training you all have," he told Squall, "and may become a burden. It's for the best that she stays out of this operation."

Now Squall understood why Rinoa had asked if her contract was still in effect, and why she asked not to be left here, in her own home. Rinoa knew that her father would try and prevent her from participating in the mission. Was that why General Caraway was so late? Was it all a ploy to lure his daughter away from them?

Selphie stepped away from the window. "So you're Rinoa's father?" she asked.

An almost wistful smile crossed Caraway's face. "I can't remember the last time she called me that," he replied.

"So the father's a top military officer," Zell said, "and the daughter's a member of an anti-government faction!" The fighter shook his head. "That's bad… Really BAD."

Squall looked at Zell in alarm. Despite everything that happened with Seifer, Zell still had not learned to keep his mouth shut. It was entirely possible that General Caraway did not know what antics his daughter got up to when he was not watching. His eyes darted to Caraway, watching his reaction.

At first the general did seem surprised. Then he sighed and shook his head. "Yes, indeed," he confessed. "It's a serious problem." He walked past Selphie and went over to the window. He clasped his hands behind his back and looked out at the city. "But it doesn't concern you," he said. "It's our problem."

_That's not the case…_ Squall thought with a frown.

"Besides," the general continued, without looking back at them, "we have more important things to worry about."

Squall's frown deepened. _Garden's directive and Rinoa's orders have the same value to us,_ he thought. He approached the general. "Once our mission is accomplished here," he told Caraway, "we're working for Rinoa, as per our contract. I don't know what your situation is, but please don't interfere when the time comes."

At first the general did not respond. Then he slowly turned and faced Squall. His face darkened. He frowned, and his brows came together until they almost met in the middle. His hands came from behind his back and rested at his sides, close to his trouser pockets. In his right pocket, Squall noted the distinct shape of a gun.

"And if I do?" the general asked.

Squall's eyes narrowed. The warning was in the words, not the voice, which was deceptively calm. Yet Squall recognised the warning. _What's his problem?_ he asked himself. Without taking his eyes away from Caraway, he moved his hand to the gunblade's hilt. "We're all SeeDs here," he replied. "We'll act accordingly."

From across the room, Zell raised his fists and smacked them together, grinning. Quistis rose to her feet, her hand on the whip-handle. The general looked from her to Zell, to Selphie and then back to Squall. The swordsman held the general's gaze, waiting for the general's next move.

"Hey, hey, hey… Fellas…"

Everyone in the room turned to Irvine. The gunman was still sitting in the general's chair, the legs tipped back as he rocked back and forth.

"We're here to knock off the sorceress, right?" he asked in a calming voice. Placing his hands on the arms of the chair, he pushed himself up. He slid across the desk, almost knocking over an ink well in the process. His feet touched the ground. The gunman then leaned against the desk and casually pushed his hat back. "So let's get down to business."

Everyone in the room remained silent. Then General Caraway sighed and relaxed his right hand. Squall, after a moment, also relaxed, as did the others. Irvine was right: this was no time to be getting into an argument. All other issues, including their contract with Rinoa, could be dealt with later. Right now, only this mission mattered.

General Caraway crossed the room and went over to the door. He stopped in front of it. "Okay," he said, "let me explain the plan." He then walked out of the room. Squall and the others went out after him.

The general led them out of the mansion. The soldier who had escorted them to the waiting room saluted at Caraway before opening the door and allowing them to pass.

"I'm sure you know," General Caraway said to Squall as they walked down the path to the main gate, "about the Galbadian government reaching an agreement with Sorceress Edea."

_So the sorceress' name is Edea…_ Squall thought.

"There is going to be a ceremony tonight to commemorate the event."

Squall nodded. Then he frowned. _Edea…_ There was something about that name. He was sure that he had heard it somewhere before. Where that was, he could not recall. Had it been in the 'dream world'? No, that wasn't it. It was more like a distant memory that he had almost forgotten. When he tried to reach hold of it, the memory seemed only to distance itself further.

The general reached the gate and nodded his head to the guard, who stepped aside. Caraway whispered something to him before walking out into the street. Zell and the others followed him out, but Squall remained a moment inside the grounds. The swordsman looked back at the mansion. His eyes scanned the windows. There was no sign of Rinoa. Had General Caraway locked her up somewhere to prevent her from interfering? No, he was just over-thinking things. Caraway was her father; he would not do something like that to his own daughter. Would he…?

The others were pulling ahead. Squall turned from the mansion and ran after them.

"It'll be held at the Presidential Residence," Caraway was saying as Squall caught up.

The general guided them down the main road to the end of the street where the Presidential Residence stood. Both Caraway's mansion and the Presidential Residence where Deling resided were built in the same district near the centre of the city, as were the houses of other important government and military officials. The Presidential Residence was the grandest of all these, and stood at the end of a main road leading to the gateway.

The residence itself was contained inside a square perimeter, surrounded on all sides by a high concrete wall. A strong iron gate was the only way in and out of the building. The gate was currently locked, though people moved about inside, carting boxes here and there, preparing for the evening's festivities. A clock stood on top of the building. It was already 18:30.

The companions paused to look up at the building. It was not as large as Caraway's mansion, but it looked far grander. General Caraway called for them to follow, and he led them across the street away from the residence.

"During the ceremony," Caraway said to them as they walked, "you will be split up into two teams and get in position. The gateway team will enter the gateway and standby. The sniper team will stand by at the front of the Presidential Residence until the ceremony is over."

The general reached the other side of the street and stopped on the corner opposite the residence. He turned to the group. "This is where the sniper team will wait," he told them, "right here, where I am standing."

Squall nodded, taking a note of the general's position. It was a good spot. It was close to the Presidential Residence, but not so close as to arouse any suspicions. Once the ceremony started, they would be able to blend in without being seen.

_So,_ _we're gonna split into two teams: the sniper team and the gateway team._

General Caraway turned and pointed up at the residence. "That's the Presidential Residence," he informed them. Everyone looked up at the building. "Once the ceremony ends, a parade for the sorceress will begin. That's when the gate will open. Lay low until then." He gave them each a stern glance. "The parade may be cancelled if there is any commotion. We must avoid that at all cost."

It was easier said than done. While Squall knew they would not do anything to cause a commotion, the crowds were a different matter. It was probable that hundreds would turn up for the parade, all gathering for a chance to see the sorceress. It would take only one minor incident to escalate into something much larger.

"Once the gate opens, the sniper team will move out," General Caraway continued. "With the parade drawing the crowd and the guard's attention, it should be rather easy to move about. The sniper team will head for the roof of the residence. In the corridor by the sorceress' room, there is a hatch that leads to the clock tower. There's a clock tower there housing a carousel clock. You'll find the sniper rifle there. Stand by in the corridor until exactly 20:00."

Squall noted down the time in his memory. He wondered why they had to wait until exactly that time. Before he could ask, General Caraway walked away from them and across the street towards the residency gates. He stopped in front of them.

"The parade will begin by the gate," he called. "The sorceress will be riding on the parade vehicle. After it leaves the gate, the vehicle will turn left. Like this. This way."

The general ran away from the gate, heading towards them. When he reached the road he turned and ran left, in the direction of the shopping district.

When he reached the end of the road Caraway stopped. Instead of coming back to them, he ran back along the road until he reached the road leading to his own residence. "The parade will circle once around the city along the outer road and return to this space. It will return on this side. Then it will turn right…" He ran back down the road and then turned right, towards the gateway. "…And head this way."

When he was done with his demonstration, General Caraway stopped running and walked back over to them. "Here's where the gateway team comes into play."

He motioned for them to follow him. The companions followed as he led them down the road towards the gateway. A few people walking through the square recognised General Caraway. They stopped and turned to watch, but kept their distance.

"At exactly 20:00," the general said as they walked, "the parade will pass under the gateway." He led them underneath the main structure. At either entrance were large iron gates, pulled up. A door built into the wall led inside the structure. The general waved his hand at it. "At this point, the gateway team will operate the console to drop the gates. The sorceress will be trapped inside the gateway.

"At 20:00 the carousel clock will rise out of the roof, carrying the sniper team up as well. There will be no obstruction between the sniper team and the sorceress. Take the open shot… BANG!"

Selphie and Zell jumped, and then relaxed.

The general, meanwhile, folded his arms behind his back. "Now we wait," he said. "You're free to go anywhere. Go check out the city if you wish. Just one thing," he added. He gave them all another stern glance. "Stay out of trouble."

_Who do you think we are?_ Squall thought in response. _…We're not like your daughter._ "We are SeeDs," he told the general.

General Caraway looked at him, silent. Then he said: "Report to my residence when you're ready. We'll hold a final meeting then. After that, we'll proceed with the operation."

The general paused, waiting to see if anyone had any questions about the operation. There were none. The general then bowed his head and left, leaving Squall and the others inside the gateway.

When the general was gone, the companions spread out. Squall folded his arms and looked down at the ground. His mind went over what the general had said. They were to split into two teams. One would enter the Presidential Residence during the parade and wait until 20:00. The other team would wait inside the gateway until the parade vehicle carrying the sorceress passed beneath the gates. Once inside, the gateway team would drop the gates, trapping the sorceress inside. At that same moment the carousel clock would rise, carrying the sniper team up as well. Once up, Irvine would shoot the sorceress before she realised what was going on.

On the surface, the plan seemed simple. Yet, like their mission in Timber, timing was crucial. Everything depended on everybody being in the right place at the right time. The sniper team had to be in the clock tower by 20:00. The parade vehicle had to pass under the gateway at the exact same time. A minute or two earlier, or later, and the entire mission would fail.

"So, what do you want to do now, Squall?" Quistis asked, breaking into his thoughts. "Shall we go check out the city?"

"Yeah, let's go check it out!" shouted Zell. "We may as well, right? We have time before the ceremony begins." Next to him, Selphie jumped up and down, clapping her approval.

Squall looked away. He didn't have any particular reason to look around the city. He was much more interested in going back to the mansion and having another talk with General Caraway. Rinoa… He had to find out what would become of her.

"Well, I know I'm checking it out," Selphie said, walking past Squall. She lifted up the two broken wooden bars of her Flail, snapped by Sacred in the Tomb of the Unknown King. "I'm going to the shopping district to get myself a new weapon." Folding her arms behind her, she leaned over and looked up at Squall, Zell and Irvine. "Well?" she asked them. "Are you _gentlemen_ going to let a lady go unescorted through a strange city?"

Zell pulled a face and rolled his eyes. Squall, too, seemed reluctant to answer.

Irvine, on the other hand, grinned. He went over. "I'll go with you, Selphie," he said, flicking his hat.

He tried to link her arm, but Selphie nimble stepped aside and ran out of the gateway. She stopped in the middle of the road and turned back to them. She jumped, clapping her hands again. "Come on, come on!" she called after them. "Let's go do some shopping!" Then before anybody could stop her she ran down the road, leaving them behind.

"Selphie, wait up!" Zell called after her. "Don't be so impatient."

Behind him, Quistis sniggered. "Impatient…?" she repeated. "Reminds me of someone else I know."

Zell looked at her. Quistis just laughed and patted him on the shoulder before running out of the gateway. Squall and Irvine walked after her.

Zell, meanwhile, folded his arms. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.

* * *

_**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS**_

I'm sure everyone's noticed, but I am playing a bit more with original scenes, just to fill in some gaps. I hope no one minds. It just fleshes scenes out a bit, you know? And we have more Selphie being a bit of a girl… shopping for weapons. I think that suits her quite well.

I'm also so happy that I drafted this and redrafted it all in a single day. Why can't I do this on a normal day? …Oh, yeah… Work.


	33. Part 03: Chapter 30

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Thirty**

They managed to stock up on a few items during their trip to the city's shopping district. Selphie replaced her broken Flail with a new nunchaku called 'Crescent Wish'—an attractive-looking weapon with silver-plated poles, each tipped with a star and a moon. Selphie fell in love with the weapon on sight and bought it at once.

There were other weapons on sale in the district, imported from all corners of the world. Zell found a set of 'Maverick' brand gloves he rather liked, and Quistis spotted an upgrade to the whip known as the 'Slaying Tail', named after Sleipnir, the horse of the legendary GF Odin. Irvine browsed the gun section of the weapons store, admiring the latest models and topping up on his ammo. Even Squall browsed the store, looking at the other gunblade models on the market, but he bought nothing.

When all the purchases were made, the group headed back to Caraway's mansion. The general was waiting for them. He sat at his desk, going through some paperwork. He rose as they entered, and came forward to meet them.

"It's time to form the teams," he said, getting straight to business. He walked past Squall and stood in the centre. "The sniper and the leader of this operation will form the sniper team," he said. He turned to Squall. "The leader's role is vital."

Squall lowered his head. _…What does he mean?_ he asked himself.

Reading the unvoiced question in his face, the general explained. "If the plan fails for some reason…" The general turned to Irvine, over by the wall. "…Or should the sniper miss…" Irvine grinned and waved his hand. "… The leader must carry out a direct assault against the sorceress." He looked around at the others. "The plan was devised carefully because we intend this to be a covert operation. But our ultimate goal is to eliminate the sorceress, and we must achieve this at all cost." The general paused to emphasise that point. "Even if they uncover our identities." He turned back to Squall. "So," he said, "who's going to lead the operation?"

One by one, all heads in the room turned to Squall. It was an inevitable decision. Squall knew, even before the general had asked, that he would be the one. He didn't like it, but it seemed he had no other choice. "I will," he answered.

Caraway looked at him. "Fine," he said. "I'll leave the rest up to you."

…_The sniper team is decided,_ Squall thought. Just the two of them would be enough. "Irvine and I will make up the sniper team," he said aloud. "The gateway team will be…" He paused and looked to Quistis, Zell and Selphie, the only ones remaining.

Selphie jumped up and down, clapping her hands. "Whoo-hoo!" she cheered.

Quistis rose to her feet and folded her arms. "Roger."

"Let's DO IT!" That came from Zell.

"So," said Selphie, "who's gonna be the leader for the gateway team?"

At once, Zell raised his fist and began to punch at the air. This was it—his chance to show what he was made of. He would be the one to lead the gateway team.

Squall turned to him. Zell looked so eager and confident that it would be him. _Sorry, Zell,_ the swordsman apologised silently, before he turned his back on the fighter and faced Quistis. "Instructor Trepe… Quistis Trepe," he amended, remembering that she was an instructor no longer, "you're in charge." Behind him, Zell stopped punching. He let his fists drop as he sagged and shook his head, dejected.

"Okay!" said Quistis. "Leave it to me."

Out in the hallway, a grandfather clock chimed 18:45. Hearing the chime, General Caraway pulled out his pocket-watch, confirming the time. In one hour and fifteen minutes, the operation would start. "Okay. Let's begin," he said. The general then left the waiting room, with Squall and Irvine in tow.

Zell and Selphie turned to Quistis. The former instructor took a moment to smooth down her shirt and shirt, and made sure that both her whips were hooked securely onto her belt. This was it. Their mission was about to begin. Quistis took a breath and then headed for the door.

Suddenly, Rinoa was there. The woman ran into the room and crashed into Quistis, almost knocking her over, but Rinoa was in too much of a hurry to notice.

"Hi!" Rinoa said cheerily. Her face was red, and her eyes seemed to sparkle with barely contained excitement. "Finally got out of there! Did that man say something?"

'_That man'…_ She spoke of General Caraway as though he was not her father at all. The family feud between father and daughter ran deep. Quistis and the others shared glances and shifted about, uncomfortable.

"No, not really," Zell lied, avoiding Rinoa's eyes.

Rinoa did not seem to notice. She looked around. "Where's Squall?" she asked.

Zell started to reply, but Quistis interrupted him. "I'm sorry Rinoa, but we have to get going." She headed for the door.

Rinoa stepped in front of her. "Hold on a sec," she said. Quistis did stop, looking at Rinoa expectantly. She watched as Rinoa delved into her pocket and pulled out a bracelet. It was an unusual-looking trinket, with a design Quistis had never seen before. Rinoa grinned and she held the bracelet over her head. "Take a look at this!" she said. Her voice was overflowing with excitement. "This is called an Odine Bangle. I found it in that man's room."

Hearing the name, Zell jumped back. "Odine!" he exclaimed.

"Whatcha gonna do with it?" Selphie asked her.

Rinoa lowered her arm and looked down at the bangle. Good, she had caught their interest. She chucked the bangle into the air and then caught it. She threw it again. She walked forward, passing Quistis, continuing to throw the bangle into the air.

"It's supposed to suppress the sorceress' powers," she explained. "But, its effects are still unknown. So I don't think they're going to use it for this mission."

"If it's Odine brand, it should be pretty effective!" Zell told her. "They're NO. 1 when it comes to magical goods."

Rinoa turned to him. "Right! Right!" she agreed.

While the conversation went on, Quistis had not moved. The more she listened to Rinoa, the angrier she became. Rinoa's plan was obvious: she wanted to use the bracelet to contain the sorceress' power, and defy her father in the process. Quistis folded her arms and chuckled to herself in disbelief. Was Rinoa really this naïve?

"So what exactly do you want to do with it!" she asked suddenly, turning to Rinoa. "Are you planning to have the sorceress put it on!" She stormed towards Rinoa, her boots clacking against the floor. "Who? When? How?" she demanded, pointing at her.

"That's what we're going to discuss!" Rinoa said back, unfazed.

"We don't have time for this," Quistis snapped. "Squall and Irvine are already standing by. We have an operation to carry out, too." She walked up to Rinoa. "You understand, don't you? This isn't a father-daughter quarrel. This isn't a game."

Rinoa opened her mouth, but she shut it again. She clasped her hands and the bracelet behind her back. She turned her head and refused to look at Quistis. Quistis sighed and shook her head. Turning her back on Rinoa, she left the room. Selphie walked out after her. Zell remained a moment longer. He looked at Rinoa, whose gaze was fixed on a corner of the ceiling. Then he too left, leaving Rinoa alone.

The door clicked shut behind them. Hearing it click, Rinoa unfolded her arms and looked at the door. So they had left her behind, after all. Rinoa turned away from the door and looked down at the Odine Bangle in her hands. Her fingers closed around it.

"Who said this was a game…?" Rinoa said to herself. She knelt down on the floor. "I understand what's going on…" Shifting, she sat down and pulled her legs up. She draped her arms over her knees. "It's not like I don't have a plan…"

* * *

Quistis's group caught up Squall, Irvine and General Caraway outside the mansion. Though Quistis said nothing about their delay, Squall could tell from the look on her face as she stormed past him that it had something to do with Rinoa. The swordsman glanced back at the mansion. At least Rinoa would be safe here.

They left the mansion and headed towards the main gate. Squall walked alongside Irvine. "I'll make the first charge when we make the full-on attack," the swordsman said to Irvine as they walked. "I'll try to buy some time."

"That won't be necessary," Irvine said back. "I'll get the job done."

They fell silent as they left the grounds and stepped out into the street. The streets were busier now, as people began to gather in the centre of the city. The crowds had already backed up as far as Caraway's mansion and would back up further still as every person in the city turned out for the ceremony.

The road leading to the Presidential Residence was closed for the parade. Galbadian soldiers patrolled the roadside. It was easy to tell from a glance that the soldiers were nervous. It was no surprise. Hundreds of people were expected to turn out for the ceremony. Both excitement and fear rippled through the crowds—a lethal combination. General Caraway cast his eye over the crowds before walking across the road. He waved for the others to follow him.

"So like…" Irvine began as they crossed the street. "Is it true that SeeDs aren't supposed to question their mission?"

That was a random question. _There are times I'd like to know myself,_ Squall thought._ Like… now for example. But…_

They reached the other side and weaved their way through the crowds. Nobody paid any attention to them. The general led them to a side street, cutting through a park next to the gateway.

"What do you care?" Squall asked Irvine.

Irvine pulled out his gun and ran his fingers along the barrel. "So like… if you knew that your enemies were pure evil, you'd get more fired up to fight them, right?" He grinned and pushed back the brim of his hat with the gun barrel.

Squall looked at him. _…An enemy that is pure evil?_ he asked himself. Was that how Irvine defined it? The swordsman turned his gaze left. Above the trees he could see the roof of the Presidential Residence. He could hear the roar of the crowds gathering outside. Inside that building, the sorceress waited. _Right and wrong are not what separates us and our enemies,_ Squall thought._ It's our different standpoints, our perspectives that separate us. Both sides blame one another. There's no good or bad side. Just two sides holding different views._

This mission was a good example. They were here to assassinate the sorceress—Sorceress Edea—who was appointed as the peace ambassador for Galbadia. It was the view of Balamb and Galbadia Gardens, along with some members of Galbadia's army, that this was all nothing more than a façade. They believed that Galbadia planned to use the sorceress to create fear, and increase Galbadia's hold on the rest of the world.

Did that mean that Galbadia and the sorceress were evil, and that they were the good guys? No, of course it didn't. They were just two sides with conflicting views, each acting in their own interests. Good and evil did not even come into it. Was he the only one who could see that?

While he was thinking this, Squall was unaware that Irvine was watching him. Irvine tried to read his thoughts but, as always, Squall's face did not betray even a single one. The gunman smiled before sheathing his gun. Thrusting his hands into his pockets, he walked on ahead.

They left the park and came out next to the gateway. The crowds here were thick as well, though the gateway itself remained clear. The general led them through the crowds and underneath the gateway, with Squall and the others close behind. Once underneath, the general stopped and turned to them.

"The gateway team will wait inside the gate until 20:00," Caraway told them. He turned to Quistis. "You can enter through this door. The sorceress will pass through the gateway at exactly 20:00. In that instant, lower the gates using the control console located on the top floor and trap her inside the gateway." He jerked his thumb at the door, indicating that they should go inside.

Quistis looked at Squall. The swordsman nodded. Quistis nodded back, then turned to her team and led them inside the gateway. In the doorway she paused, and for a moment her face looked troubled. Then it was gone. Quistis went through the doorway, closing the door behind her.

Once the gateway team were stationed inside, General Caraway turned and walked out of the gateway. Squall and Irvine followed the general as he led them back into the street. Nobody paid any attention to them as they made their way through the crowd. All eyes were on the residence.

The general led them to the spot he had taken to earlier that evening: the spot opposite the Presidential Residence. There he stopped, and turned to Squall and Irvine. "You two will wait here," he told them. Caraway turned away from them, his eyes scanning the crowd.

Squall also looked around. There were so many people here. Soldiers stood guard on every corner, watching the crowds. Would they really be able to sneak into the residence with all these people around?

"General," the swordsman said, turning back to General Caraway. "Why has the sorceress decided to have such an extravagant parade?"

The general did not turn. "She wants to establish her place in Galbadia Garden, since she has chosen it to serve as her base," he replied.

_So that's why Galbadia Garden wants her out,_ Squall realised.

General Caraway looked up at the presidential clock, and compared the time with his pocket-watch. It was 19:02 precisely. He turned back to Squall and Irvine. "It's starting," he said. "I'm returning to my residence. Good luck."

Squall nodded his head, silent. The general looked at them both with a grave face before he walked past them and slipped back into the crowd. Within seconds after he passed the crowd closed behind him, and they were alone.

The general made his way through the crowd and came out by the gateway. His gaze turned to it. In an hour's time this spot would become a scene of violence and mayhem. If they succeeded, the sorceress would be dead. If they failed… Caraway did not want to think of what might happen if they failed. Everything hung in the hands of the young SeeDs from Balamb and Galbadia Gardens.

Caraway walked past the gateway. As he entered the park, the gateway door opened and Quistis came out. The former instructor's brow creased as she folded her arms across her chest. She chewed her lip. She seemed troubled.

Zell also stepped out. "Instructor," he said, "what's up?" Selphie came out after him, looking at Quistis in concern.

Quistis did not turn. "Maybe I was too hard on her…" she murmured.

"Too hard?"

Quistis bit her lip harder. The pain helped her think. She nodded, her mind made up. She turned to Zell and Selphie. "I'm going to go apologise," she announced.

Zell stared at her, confused. He scratched his head. "You mean… Rinoa?"

"But… but… We can't just leave out post!" protested Selphie.

Quistis looked down the street. The presidential clock struck 19:04. "We still have time until 20:00," she said, turning back to Zell and Selphie. "You two wait here," she instructed. She then turned and walked away from the gateway.

Zell tried to call after her. "We can't just…" he began, but then stopped as Selphie ran past him, chasing after Quistis. The fighter stared and shook his head. It was like the SeeD exam all over again. He looked back at the gateway, and then at Quistis and Selphie, heading further and further away. The fighter hopped from foot to foot before finally shouting "Hey, wait up!" and running after them.

* * *

Meanwhile, Rinoa was still sitting on the floor in her father's office. She heard the door open, heard footsteps behind her. She looked back. It was her father. General Caraway looked down at her, his arms folded over his broad chest, his stern face grave.

Normally, Rinoa would stand up and face her father, but right now she was not in the mood. She turned her head from him and placed it onto her knees. She raised her hand and waved it, dismissing him.

"It'll be chaos out there soon," General Caraway told her. "You'll be safe here."

Rinoa did not reply. She just raised her hand and waved it at him again. The general sighed and put his hands on his hips, shaking his head. Rinoa would never listen to him, or even believe him if he said he was only keeping her out of the mission for her own safety. As far as she was concerned, her father was just another member of the military she hated so much. Instead of arguing with her, the general did as she bade and walked out of the room, leaving the door open.

Rinoa heard him leave. She raised her head. Her dark hair had fallen in front of her face but she told herself that she did not care, just as she did not care for her father's attempts to keep her under his wing. She was no fool. She knew her father cared for her and wanted to keep her out of harm's way. But did that mean he had to treat her like… like a _child?_

Rinoa pushed back her hair and wiped her face. She stood up. Perhaps if she just talked to her father, explained her plan to him, then maybe he would—

A _click_ came from behind her. Rinoa spun around to face the door. The low sound of beeping followed, almost inaudible, except to those who knew what it meant.

"Oh no!" she exclaimed, as she realised what the beeping was. "He's gonna lock me in!"

Knowing she had only seconds to spare, Rinoa ran to the door. There she stopped. For a moment, she hesitated. She looked down at the Odine Bangle still in her hands. An item meant to 'suppress the sorceress' powers'…

Rinoa closed her fingers around the bangle and held it close to her chest. Her heart started to race. If she could only get the sorceress to put the bangle on, then there would be no need for an assassination. There would be no need for Squall and the others to fight. Rinoa knew then that she could not go to her father. He would not listen to her and nor would the others, Quistis and Squall. It was all up to her. She was the only one who could carry it out.

"I… I can do it…" she told herself. Taking a breath, she ran out of the door.

Moments after Rinoa ran out, Quistis, Zell and Selphie ran in.

"Rinoa," Quistis burst out, "I'm sorry, I…"

The ticking hastened. Suddenly it stopped, and the door slammed shut behind them. It was followed by another _click_, the sound of the lock turning. Quistis spun around to face the door. She ran to it and pulled on the handle. The door would not budge. She put her weight against it, but still it would not budge. Quistis released the handle and stepped away from the door, her eyes widening.

"Did we get… locked in?" she asked in disbelief. She shook her head. No… This couldn't be happening! Not now!

Selphie stamped her foot. "…That Caraway guy!"

"We're smack dab in the middle of a family quarrel here!" Zell cried.

Quistis again bit her lip. This time she tasted blood. If they were locked in here, then where was Rinoa? Even as she asked, the answer came to her. A cold feeling spread through her. "This is bad," she said. "I'm worried about Rinoa, too."

"What do you mean?" Zell asked her.

Quistis turned from the door. Her face was pale. "Rinoa's probably on her way to see the sorceress as we speak," she said. "She wanted to help us…"

* * *

After sneaking out of the mansion, Rinoa made her way through the side streets until she reached the Presidential Residence. The streets were packed with people and she was able to move almost unseen. She carefully pushed her way through the crowds. She tried to keep as close to the wall as possible, which was not hard since everyone around her strained to get a good view of the residence.

Little did Rinoa know that, at that very moment, Squall and Irvine were also hiding amongst the crowd. They stood on the other side of the street, waiting for their own chance to slip into the residence.

The residence gates were open. A patrol vehicle carrying more soldiers came out. Rinoa went as close to the building as she dared, waiting for her chance.

Her chance came after the truck cleared the gate, and the soldiers patrolling the residence were busy directing it along the road. The gate started to close. Rinoa waited until the last possible moment before she darted for the gate. She slipped through just before they closed, and made her way into the grounds.

The outside of the residence was empty. Everyone was inside, preparing for the ceremony.

Rinoa had heard someone in the crowd say that the sorceress was going to make a speech before the parade. She would probably be waiting in her room. That was the best moment for Rinoa to approach her and give her the bangle. Rinoa knew the layout of the building. She had visited it before with her father a long time ago, when she was very young.

Rinoa ran around the side of the building. An old truck was parked up against the wall, surrounded by wooden crates. Rinoa tried to peer into the crates, but they were sealed and she could not see inside. Stepping back, she surveyed the area. The walls of the residence were too high to climb, but she would be able to get onto the roof if she used the crates as stepping stones and then jumped from them to the roof. She could enter the residence from the roof, and make her way to the sorceress' room.

With that plan in mind, Rinoa ran to the first of the crates laid out on the ground and began to climb.

"I'm not a SeeD, but…" Rinoa said to herself as she pulled herself onto the crate. She moved onto the next one. "I can do this…" When she reached the top of the first pile she climbed onto the truck and, from there, to the next pile of crates. "This isn't some kind of game…"

A jutting nail caught her finger. Rinoa paused and sucked at the wound. Her thoughts went to Angelo. She had considered bringing the dog with her but decided against it, and left the dog in her room. Angelo was far too conspicuous, and now that she was here she regretted it. The dog was her trusted companion, and she felt safer when he was around. Kind of like Squall…

Kind of like Squall…? Rinoa frowned and pulled her finger from her mouth. Yes, she supposed she did feel safe around Squall. The swordsman was blunt and somewhat standoffish at times, but Rinoa did feel safer knowing he was around. His presence made her feel braver, and gave her the strength to fight. Rinoa smiled as she thought of him, and she continued to climb.

Rinoa reached the top crate. She stood up. There was a sizable gap between the crates and the residence roof. Rinoa braced herself and then jumped over the gap. She landed on the other side, wobbled, and dropped to her knees. When she was sure she was not going to fall she got up and ran on.

She ran along the roof until she found a ladder taking her to the upper levels. As she climbed up she realised where she was: next to the outer podium where the president would formally present the sorceress to the city. She could hear voices coming from the podium, so she kept low as she snuck along the roof to the rear of the building and slipped in through a back door.

Rinoa made her way through the corridors to the sorceress' room. The door to the chamber was left open, and there were no soldiers standing guard. Rinoa held her breath and entered the room.

Sorceress Edea was sitting in a chair in the middle of the room. Artificial light streamed in through a glass dome in the ceiling, falling not on the sorceress but around her. A number of lucent curtains hung from the ceiling and draped over the floor. They caught the light from above, casting shadows onto the floor.

The sorceress had her back to Rinoa. She did not seem to be moving. Seeing her sitting there, in that chair, Rinoa suddenly felt afraid. The sorceress' power seemed to radiate from her body. It pressed down upon the room; Rinoa could feel it bearing down on her. She knew what it was doing. It was trying to force her onto her knees, to make her kneel in awe before the sorceress.

For a moment, Rinoa almost changed her mind and left. Perhaps her father was right. Maybe she would be safer back at the mansion, far away from here…

Then she remembered Squall and the others. They were out there right now, ready to risk their lives to kill the very sorceress who sat before her. And here she was, alone with the sorceress, holding in her hands a chance to end this without any bloodshed. All she had to do was be brave.

Easier said than done, Rinoa thought as she closed the chamber door behind her. It shut with a gentle click. Rinoa flinched and looked back at the sorceress. Edea had not moved. Perhaps she was not even aware of Rinoa's presence. Rinoa folded her hands behind her back, the bangle clasped in her hands. She took a few cautious steps and then stopped. She cleared her throat.

"Umm…" she began, her voice trembling. "Excuse me… I'm… the daughter of, um… Galbadian Army's, um… General Caraway."

Rinoa paused, trying to force the tremor from her voice. It was no use. Squall and the others were not here. She was all alone… Could she really do this? Rinoa shook her head. No, she had to persevere. The others were counting on her.

"I… thought I'd… come pay my respects…" Rinoa said, trying again. "You know… 'cause of my father and all… So, I… um… brought you a small gift. Please…"

Gathering as much courage as she could muster, Rinoa walked forward and approached the sorceress. It was only a short distance, but it felt like she was crossing a vast hallway, trying to reach a person she did not want to reach.

Rinoa stopped behind the sorceress. Glancing over her shoulder, Rinoa tried to see her face. She was still wearing that terrible birdlike mask; it was impossible to see anything of her face. The sorceress still showed no signs of acknowledging Rinoa's presence. Perhaps she was in a trance, preparing for the ceremony.

The sorceress' hands rested on the arms of the chair. Her long fingers, encased in those silky purple gloves, were relaxed. This was her chance. Rinoa held her breath as she carefully reached over the sorceress. She pulled out the bangle.

Something hit her. Bright white light filled her vision, sent her senses reeling. Rinoa felt something pick her up and hurl her back. She hit the ground hard and skidded, sliding over to the door.

For a moment Rinoa lay there, startled. When her head cleared she pushed herself off the floor and looked over at the sorceress.

Edea still had not moved. Not a word was uttered from her mouth.

Rinoa stared at her. Had the sorceress spoken, and she had not heard it? No, Rinoa was sure she had not uttered even a word. Then what threw her back?

Her right hand, the one holding the Odine Bangle, twitched. Rinoa turned her head and looked down at her hand. It twitched again. Rinoa rubbed her hand. She then watched in horror as her whole arm started to shake. Rinoa's eyes widened and she grabbed her arm, but she was unable to stop the shaking.

Suddenly, her arm was yanked up and Rinoa was lifted into the air. She dangled in midair, held by an unknown force.

And still, the sorceress had not moved.

Something closed around her hand. It forced Rinoa's hand closed and crushed the bangle in her own grasp. Rinoa gasped as she felt the broken points dig into her palm. She struggled, but could not break free.

A cold feeling, like the spreading of icy fingers, moved down her arm. It spread across her shoulders and along her neck, her lips, and her cheeks. Rinoa felt the coldness press against her head. She groaned and then shuddered as it forced its way into her mind, shoving her consciousness aside.

Rinoa sagged. Her free arm fell at her side, and she ceased struggling. The force holding her released, and she dropped. Her legs crumpled and she slipped down onto the floor. The crushed bangle slipped from her fingers. It lay in pieces at her feet, small droplets of her blood staining its surface.

Now the sorceress moved. She raised her head and sat up straight. Long strands of iridescent hair rose and then melted, retreating back into the mask. When the last few strands reached her mask the whole thing shimmered. The birdlike mask split into two and pulled back to reveal the sorceress' face.

Sorceress Edea was very beautiful. She had a heart-shaped face with smooth, pale skin, golden yellow eyes and full, violet-tinged lips. Her face betrayed no emotion, but her eyes were pure ice.

Placing her hands on the arms of the chair, Edea pushed herself to her feet. Behind her, Rinoa also stood. The young woman raised her head and gazed at the sorceress. Rinoa's eyes were empty, her face blank. Her mind was overthrown, her body under the sorceress' control.

Edea spread her arms above her. As she did so, golden spires burst out from behind her shoulders. They spread out and locked together. Two lucent sheets of cloth unfolded from the base of this golden structure, floating in the air. Edea let out a breath as she crossed her arms over her and then brought them down over her body. The white cloth moved down with them, falling into place behind her.

Her preparations complete, Sorceress Edea walked forward. When she reached the door, Edea raised her hand. The door rippled and Edea walked straight through it as though it were water. The door solidified behind her, as though it had never changed at all.

Sorceress Edea stepped out onto the podium. President Deling was standing by the microphone stand, waiting to greet her. Beyond him, down in the streets, the citizens of Deling City began to cheer. President Deling turned to Edea and smiled. He extended his hand, gesturing for her to come forward. Without a word, Edea walked forward.

Down in the crowd below, Irvine turned to Squall.

"Here she comes."


	34. Part 03: Chapter 31

_**A Note from the Authoress**_

I should state right now: I've never been clear on the audience's reaction after Deling's death. I did a bit of research, and most seem to think that the audience cheered at his death. So I've gone with this. That's all.

* * *

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Thirty-One**

"Here she comes," Irvine whispered to Squall.

The sorceress walked up to the podium. President Deling, still smiling, bowed his head and motioned for her to come forward. Sorceress Edea did not look at him as she approached the stand. When they saw her, the people erupted into cheer.

Standing behind Edea was Rinoa. Deep under the sorceress' spell, Rinoa's mind was completely overthrown. Her face was blank and her eyes were empty as she looked ahead, oblivious to everything that was going on around her. Her body swayed from side to side, much like a puppet being held by loose strings.

Irvine looked up at the podium. He saw Sorceress Edea overhead, with President Deling standing beside her. Irvine frowned and turned his gaze away from her. His eyes fell on Rinoa. He stared.

"H… Hey…" the gunman said in a hushed voice. "That girl…!"

He nudged Squall in the shoulder and pointed. Squall followed his pointing finger and saw Rinoa on the podium.

"Rinoa…?" What was she doing up there? And why was she just… standing there?

Squall turned his eyes back to the sorceress. Whatever the reason was, he could do nothing for Rinoa now. There were too many people around, and the gates to the residence were still closed.

Sorceress Edea cast her eyes over the crowd. Hundreds people gathered before her, crammed together, all trying to get a glimpse of her. They were more like a swarm of mindless insects, drunk on the honey that was the promise of peace.

They had no idea of their president's real intentions. They believed in the picturesque setting he had painted with his words—a world without war, united under one banner. What the president had not said was that the banner would be Galbadia's. His words were not a promise of peace but a declaration of war against all those who would oppose the Galbadian nation. Any who rose up in defiance, would be crushed swiftly underfoot. And she, Sorceress Edea, was meant to be the boot that crushed them.

Edea's lips twisted and curled into a malevolent smile. She was one of the few who knew about the president's real plans. Yet what President Deling did not know was that she had no intention of being his tool of destruction. Her ambitions drove much further than mere world domination. Sorceress Edea stepped up to the microphone and laid her hands on the stand.

"Lowlifes…" she began. Her melodic voice drifted through the air. "Shameless, filthy wretches. How you celebrate my ascension with such joy. Hailing the very one whom you have condemned for generations. Have you no shame?" Edea shook her head. "What happened to the evil, ruthless sorceress from your fantasies? The cold-blooded tyrant that slaughtered countless men and destroyed many nations?" The sorceress spread her arms and lifted her head to the dark and cloudy sky. "Where is she now?" she asked. "She stands before your very eyes to become your new ruler."

Then she laughed. Her laughter was sharp as ice, and cut through the atmosphere like a knife. Yet the crowds, so absorbed in their cheering and revelry, did not seem to notice. It was as though they were already under Edea's spell, cheering at her every word.

The sorceress' laughter faded, dying into the night. She lowered her arms and looked down at the crowd. "A new era has begun," she continued.

While she was giving her speech, President Deling looked sideways at Edea. This was not the speech they had prepared. Confused, he went over to her.

"E-Edea… Are you alright…?" he whispered. He reached out to her. "Edea…!"

His last words came out as a gasp, for without warning Edea raised her hand and thrust it out. Her long fingers pierced the president's chest like daggers, tearing through fabric and flesh, cutting through bone. Blood leaked out of the wound, spilling over his shirt and over Edea's hand. The president looked down, and let out an agonised croak as Edea then spread her fingers, slicing through his internal organs. Deling coughed, and blood filled his mouth. He looked at Edea.

The sorceress had not even turned her head. With inhuman strength, she lifted Deling off the floor. The president tried to struggle, but his strength was drained from him and his arms fell at his sides. A burning heat started to grow within him. It grew and grew until it was almost unbearable. Deling tried to cry out to Edea, but instead of words only steam came out. He was being burned alive from the inside! He was unable to move or defend himself. All he could do was watch as his skin started to blacken, and steam rose from his flesh.

Sorceress Edea turned and looked at him. Her golden eyes, empty and unfeeling pierced his body as sharply as the fingers that penetrated him now. Looking into those eyes, President Deling felt cold, so cold that it took away the feeling of the heat that was burning him from within.

"This is reality," the sorceress said to Deling. She lifted the dying president higher. "No one can help you. Sit back and enjoy the show."

Deling stared at her. His eyes fluttered and then closed. His body fell limp.

Down below, the crowds erupted into cheer. Despite how easily they had been fooled, the truth of the matter was that no one in the city liked the dictator. To see him die at the sorceress' hands was something to celebrate, a sign that, at last, the ruthless tyrants of the world would fall. To them, this was the first of the many acts that their sorceress would perform in the name of peace.

Edea smiled. She then turned and threw the president's body away from her. The body crashed onto the floor near the wall. Steam continued to rise from the corpse's body, still burning.

Sorceress Edea lowered her hand. The blood on her hands shimmered and then vanished. Yet even though it was gone, the sorceress wiped it clean against her dress. She was not wiping it of blood, but of her contact with the president.

"Rest assured, you fools," Edea then said, turning her attention back to the cheering crowd. "Your time will come. This is only the beginning. Let us start a new reign of terror. I will let you live a fantasy beyond your imagination."

And still the people cheered. They no longer even heard Edea. They were too wrapped up in their joy to even notice the dangers right in front of them. Turning her back on the people, the sorceress left the stand. Rinoa, still in her trance, remained where she was. The sorceress past her and walked across the podium. She past the body of the president without giving him so much as a glance, and returned to the residence.

She walked down the corridor that led to her chambers. An idea occurred to her, and she stopped. Her lips parted and spread into a cold smile.

"Let us end this ceremony with a sacrifice," she decided, and brought her hands together. She raised one hand high, and her lips whispered the words of a spell.

Her words left her lips and echoed back down the corridor. They left the residence and ascended into the air before diving down to the cheering crowds. No one heard the words as they drifted past them, the sounds of their own loud voices drowned them out.

The words kept on moving until they reached the gateway. They rose swiftly upwards, passing over the walls until they reached their targets: two large stone Iguion carved into the wall. The sorceress' voice passed through the lifeless stone eyes of the statues. A thud, much like a heartbeat, sounded from within.

On one of the statues, the eyes blinked. Its body rippled and the stone melted from its body, replacing it with cold, scaly flesh. When the stone covering its legs melted away, the Iguion raised its head and started to crawl along the wall.

After a few steps the Iguion stopped and turned its head. Its tongue, long and thick and wet, flicked out to taste the air. The scent of prey was everywhere, but there was one whose scent was particularly enticing. The tongue slid back into the Iguion's mouth. It leapt from the wall.

The Iguion landed at the foot of the gateway. A second Iguion—the other statue—landed behind it. The two beasts ran from the gateway and into the crowds. People turned and screamed as the beasts ran by them, but the Iguion were not interested in them. The target they searched for was elsewhere: waiting on the podium of the Presidential Residence. When the beasts neared the residence they jumped, leaping over the crowd.

Rinoa, still on the podium, blinked as her mind was released from the sorceress' spell. She looked around, confused. Where was she?

She heard screams coming from below. The, above her, she heard a hissing roar. Rinoa looked up and saw the two Iguion above her. They were descending fast, their mouths wide open with hunger. Rinoa jumped back as the lizards landed on the podium. They ducked their heads down low and lashed their tails in the air. Their tongues flicked out. They pounced.

Rinoa screamed.

Irvine saw the Iguion land on the podium, and he heard Rinoa's terrified scream.

"Hey, hey, hey," he said, shaking Squall by the shoulder. "She's in trouble big-time! We've gotta go help Rinoa!"

Squall looked towards the gate. Around him, the people were still cheering. They had not even noticed the Iguion fly overhead, or hear Rinoa's scream. The swordsman pushed Irvine's hand away. "The parade hasn't started yet," he said back, sounding calm. "The gate's not open."

"You've gotta be kidding!" Irvine said, shaking his head. He looked up at the podium. The thrashing tails of the Iguion moved out of sight, and the sound of Rinoa's screaming faded.

* * *

Meanwhile, Quistis and her group were still locked inside Caraway's office. Quistis was peering out the window, trying to see what was going on. She could not see much, but in the distance she could see the Presidential Clock. It had just struck 19:25 and as it did so, Quistis heard the rising cheers of the crowd. The sorceress must have finished her speech, she realised.

"Oh no! It's starting!" she wailed, and turned from the window. "We need to get out of here, quick."

Selphie was by the door. She pulled again on the doorknob, but it refused to budge even a little. She released the handle and turned. "We're completely sealed in," she said. "It's hopeless!"

Zell, over by the other window, rapped on the glass. He ran his fingers along the frame, searching for gaps where he could pry it open. When he completed his search he slammed his palm against the glass, causing it to rattle. "Not even a crack…" he moaned, and his shoulders sagged.

Quistis left the window and paced the floor. There had to be _some_ way out of here. Perhaps they should break one of the windows and climb out that way… No, that was too rash. They would draw the attention of the mansion guards, not to mention the general himself. How could they explain how they had come to return to the mansion after being instructed to remain at their post? General Caraway would be displeased, and the mission would still fail.

Her pacing took her around the room to the wall by the general's desk. There Quistis paused, her arms folded, her head down. She started to bite her lip but stopped herself. They just needed to stay calm and think things through. General Caraway was an intelligent man. Would he really put such a lock on his door so he could lock people in his office whenever he pleased? It was more likely used as a delay mechanism, to hold intruders at bay while the general escaped.

If that was the case, Quistis reasoned, then how did he do it? How did the general escape from this room?

The instructor raised her head and looked around. A painting of a pretty yet plain-looking woman hung on the wall. In the woman's hands she held a cup, a wine glass to be exact. The glass had no wine in it. That was odd.

A thought occurred to her, and Quistis walked to the glass case at the other end of the room. Quistis peered inside. Yes, there were wine glasses in the cabinet, much like the one in the painting. Quistis took one of the glasses from the shelf and examined it. It was expensive-looking, but it looked as though it had never been used. Quistis tapped her finger on the glass. Why would the general keep glasses here if they were never used? Not for decoration, surely.

Turning again, Quistis walked back to the painting, taking the wine glass with her. She was aware of Zell and Selphie watching her as she moved, but she paid no attention to them. Her thoughts were racing. She stopped in front of the painting and looked at it again. Yes, it was as she thought. The wine glass in the painting _was_ the same as the ones on the shelf.

Her excitement growing, Quistis looked around the room. In the far corner was a hollowed stone pillar, built into the wall. Standing inside the alcove was a marble statue—a statue of a woman. Quistis hurried over to it. The hands of the statue were folded in front of it. They were slightly parted with the palms facing upwards, as though she was meant to be holding something.

Now certain she was onto the general's secret, Quistis placed the glass in the statue's hands. The hands depressed and there was the sound of a click. The statue rotated to the side, sliding into the alcove to reveal a hidden tunnel.

Zell and Selphie ran up behind her. "NO WAY!" Zell exclaimed.

"Pretty sneak-y!" said Selphie, leaning over.

So there it was: a way out. Quistis folded her arms and said: "Let's go."

"But we don't even know where it leads!" Selphie protested.

"No use staying here," Zell pointed out. He gave her a tap on the head.

Selphie looked thoughtful, and then nodded her head. Zell was right. There was no use in them staying locked up in here. Even if they did not know where this tunnel led, at least it would take them away from here.

The group entered the tunnel. It was dimly lit, and as soon as they passed through the door the statue rotated back into place, sealing them inside. The tunnel was plunged into darkness save for a little light that came from further down the tunnel. They headed towards it.

As they walked down a set of stairs, they came upon the source of the light. A metal grate in the ceiling allowed light from above to filter down into the tunnel. Though they could not reach the gate, they could see trees and a lamppost—part of the general's gardens. The tunnel was taking them out of the house and beneath the gardens. Their hopes rose. Perhaps they could escape, after all!

They followed the steps down until they reached a ladder. This also led down, heading deeper under the ground. A faint yet foul smell drifted up from below: the sewers. They climbed down.

The sewers were a vast network of underground tunnels that wound beneath the streets of Deling City. Rivers of water pumped through the tunnels, and they were surprised to see that the water appeared to be quite clean. Waterwheels churned the waters, keeping them moving and eliminating some of the muck and grime. Narrow walkways lined the gutters and it was upon these that Quistis's group walked, following the only paths open to them.

They came upon their first obstacle almost immediately. A large metal gate, rusted with age, blocked the path ahead of them. Quistis turned the handle, but it was locked. She crossed the wooden bridge that connected the walkway they were on with the other gate, and tried that one. That was locked, as well.

The group turned and left the gates. They looked around. Another gate stood on the opposite side, and this one was open. The problem was that the walkways were not connected, and the gap between the two was too far to jump.

Next to the bridge, a waterwheel turned. Quistis looked at it, and had an idea. She said that if they climbed on the waterwheel, it would carry them within reach of the other side. At first Zell was sceptical, but Quistis ignored him and climbed onto the wheel. Zell and Selphie held their breaths as the wheel carried her up and then over, but before the wheel could turn away beneath her, she jumped and landed on the other side. She stood and signalled for the others to follow her.

They went through the gate and hurried down the walkway. They passed under another grate in the ceiling, through which they could hear the sounds of people cheering. It seemed they had left the mansion grounds and were now under the city proper. They hurried on.

They were just approaching the next open gate when music started to play above them. The group stopped and looked up.

"It's starting," Zell said.

The music grew louder. It boomed through the ceiling, drowning out the cheers of the people above.

Almost directly above them, the parade was beginning. Squall and Irvine watched as dancers gathered in front of the main gates and started to dance in time with the music. Dressed in an assortment of vibrant colours, they performed a rhythmic, yet almost sinister dance. Their faces were hidden behind masks and their bodies bent and moved in almost perfect time. It was a chilling sight.

The dancers started to move along the road. As they did so, the gates to the residence opened. The parade vehicle was waiting beyond, and when the gates opened the car roared into life and moved out of the drive. The parade vehicle was just as extravagantly decorated as the dancers, and sitting on a throne at the head of the vehicle was the sorceress. Sorceress Edea lay back in her throne and her cold, yellow eyes passed over the throng of people cheering before her.

A firework shot into the air and exploded. More fireworks followed, plastering the dark sky with shards of colour. More dancers moved in behind the parade vehicle as it left the drive and started to turn left, just as Caraway said it would.

Irvine turned to Squall. "Now's our chance," he whispered. "Come on!"

He started to push his way forward. When he realised that Squall was not following, he turned and ran back.

"What are you waiting for!" the gunman said in a sharp voice. "Rinoa might die!"

That shook Squall from his reverie. He pushed past Irvine and headed into the crowd. When they reached the road they ducked down low and ran along the street, heading towards the residence. No one paid any attention to them as they went by, not even the patrolling soldiers. All eyes were for the sorceress alone.

The duo approached the parade vehicle as it turned down the road. The sorceress was looking away from them, her gaze elsewhere. Squall spared a quick glance up the side of the vehicle. As he did so, his heart almost stopped dead.

Seifer was on the parade vehicle. He stood close to the sorceress, his gunblade drawn and raised into the air. There was a smile on his face. Squall could not believe his eyes. Seifer… He was alive…!

Seifer lowered his sword and rested it, tip-down, upon the roof of the vehicle. He gazed down at the crowd with a look of contempt, and then ran a hand through his slicked-back hair. He did not see Squall.

The parade vehicle passed. Squall kept on running, trying to focus his thoughts. So Seifer was alive, and he was with the sorceress. What did this mean…? Squall shook his head. Forget Seifer, he told himself, what about Rinoa!

As General Caraway had predicted, there was no one guarding the gates. Squall and Irvine passed through unseen and slipped into the grounds. They ran around to the side of the building and, using the same method Rinoa had used, climbed onto the roof. Instead of sneaking around to the rear, like Rinoa had, they climbed straight onto the podium.

The body of President Deling was still on the ground. The steam had died away, and his skin and clothing were charred black. Squall could not feel any sympathy for him. The Galbadian president was a ruthless dictator with a long history of cruelty and oppression. There would be no one to mourn his passing.

Rinoa was nowhere to be seen, and neither were the two Iguion. Squall stopped and looked around him. Where was she? Where was Rinoa? As though in answer, a terrified scream—Rinoa's—came from inside the residence. Squall and Irvine hurried inside.

They found Rinoa inside the sorceress' chamber. She was on the ground, her Pinwheel lodged in the wall next to the entrance. The two Iguion were standing over her, their teeth bared, ready to strike.

"Rinoa!" shouted Squall.

Rinoa did not move. The two Iguion, however, heard him and raised their heads. They bared their teeth as they turned towards him. Squall drew his gunblade and stormed into the room to face them.

One of the Iguion screeched and ran forward. It leapt at him, and Squall ducked and swung his sword. The blade caught the monster's throat and a deep gash was ripped in the flesh. Blood oozed out of the wound and scales were ripped from the monster's skin, falling onto the blade. The Iguion dropped and writhed for a second or two, and then lay still.

The other Iguion stared at its fallen companion. The scent of blood filled its nostrils. Its senses heightened by the scent, it also made a run at them. Squall dived to one side as the beast snapped its jaws. The Iguion turned and swung a clawed hand at him.

A gunshot sounded. The Iguion shrieked and drew back, staggering, a bleeding bullet wound in its right shoulder. Irvine reloaded his shotgun and nodded his head at Squall. "Go!" he ordered. "Help Rinoa!" Irvine then fired again. The Iguion shrieked again, a second wound in its scaly hide.

Squall took the gunman's advice and made a run for Rinoa. The Iguion saw him move and leapt, dodging another shot from Irvine and landing in front of Squall. Now the beast stood between him and Rinoa. Squall glanced at her. She still had not moved. Squall stepped back and raised his sword. If this was how the Iguion wanted to play it, then he would have to cut his way through. He charged.

It took only a few strikes to finally subdue the beast. The blood loss from the wounds to its shoulder and hide hampered its reflexes, making it slow to respond. It could not defend against both Squall and Irvine at once. A few more shots to its neck and side, and one deep thrust to the gut, and the Iguion slumped.

Even as the creature lay dying, Squall could feel the presence of a GF inside of it. The swordsman laid his hand on the Iguion's hind legs and drew the GF from its body. The GF was Carbuncle, a small spirit who bestowed the summoner with the ability to reflect magic. Against a sorceress, a GF like this would be very handy.

Once the GF was drawn from its body, the Iguion shuddered and lay still. After a moment, the bodies of the two lizards stiffened, turning back into stone. They started to crumble, dissolving into dust. Squall turned his back on the creatures and sheathed his sword. He ran over to Rinoa.

Rinoa was still on the ground. Squall ran to her side and knelt down beside her. He looked her over. Squall sighed in relief; she was alive. Her hair hid most of her face from view, but he could see her chest move as she breathed. Squall reached out to her and touched her shoulder. She flinched at his touch, and her whole body started to tremble.

"I was scared…" he heard her say.

Squall drew back his hand and stood up. He turned away from her. Rinoa raised her head and looked up at him. She sat up and pushed back her hair. Suddenly she reached out and grasped hold of Squall's hand. She held it tight.

"…Really scared," she said.

Squall did not turn to look at her. "It's over now," he told her.

He tried to pull his hand away, but Rinoa would not relinquish her hold. "I was scared…" she said again, her voice trembling. She tugged on his hand. "I was really, really scared."

Now Squall turned his head and looked down at her. "You're used to battles, aren't you?" he asked.

Rinoa lowered her head. One hand slipped from his and fell against her side. "I couldn't…" she whispered. "I just couldn't. I couldn't fight alone…"

She started to tremble again. She choked, fighting back the tears. Squall watched her. _…You're not ready for all of this,_ he thought. This was exactly the reason why General Caraway had tried to keep her out of this mission. She was not trained to deal with situations like these. Squall pulled his hand free of her grasp and looked away again. "Better get going," he told her. Back to the mansion where you'll be safe, he added to himself. He started to walk off.

Rinoa's head snapped up. She saw him walking away from her. Pushing herself to her feet, she ran over and grabbed hold of his hand again. Squall stopped and looked back. Rinoa held his hand tightly in hers, too afraid to let go. She was trembling again, and her breathing was shaky. She truly was very afraid.

Squall knew why she was afraid. She had said it herself. _Alone…_ She was afraid to be left alone. Here, or in her father's mansion.

"I haven't forgotten your order," he reassured her. Even as he said it, he knew those words were not enough. Rinoa was shaken, shocked by her own fear. The swordsman sighed and shook his head. This was not how the mission was supposed to go. Yet he could not send her back to the mansion by herself, not now. She would never make it out. He looked at her. "Just stay close to me," he told her, his voice stern.

Without saying a word, Rinoa nodded. She released his hand.

With that business dealt with, Squall headed for the door. Rinoa stayed close behind him, still silent.

Irvine was waiting for them by the door. His gun was resting on his shoulder and he had Rinoa's Pinwheel in his hand, which he had pulled from the wall. The gunman smiled at Rinoa and flicked his hat before holding the Pinwheel out to her. She hesitated and then took it from him, reattaching it to her arm. She gave him a small smile of thanks. Irvine nodded at her. She would be alright.

They headed back into the corridor. Squall spotted the hatch Rinoa's father had mentioned and knelt down beside it. It was unlocked and opened easily to reveal a narrow stairway. The swordsman shared a glance with Irvine before climbing down the stairwell and into the clock tower.

For now, the clock tower was dark. Several hologram stands encircled the room, but these were switched off. At 20:00 the tower would activate and these stands would spring into life, projecting holographic images as the tower rose out of the roof of the residence to announce the hour. That would be their signal. At that moment, the sorceress would be trapped inside the gateway. Then they would strike… and end her life.

The sniper rifle that Caraway spoke of was lying on the ground at the foot of the stairs. Squall went over and picked it up. It was a fine rifle, one of Galbadia's best. It was fitted with the most improved add-ons to ensure that it fired long and straight. Only one round was fitted into the barrel. There was no need for any more—they would only get one chance. Turning to Irvine, Squall held out the rifle.

"Irvine Kinneas," the swordsman said, "it's in your hands now."

Irvine looked at the rifle that Squall held out to him. The smile on his face faded, and his lips pursed together. He took the rifle and then turned away. Without a word he walked over to the other end of the clock tower until he reached the far wall. He leaned against it and then, slowly, sank onto the ground.

Squall watched him, confused by this sudden change in Irvine's behaviour. _Huh…? Why'd he get all quiet?_ he asked himself. Behind him, Rinoa walked over to one of the hologram stands and sat down. The swordsman placed his hand on his hip and tilted his head._ Loneliness of the sharpshooter…_ Squall thought, recalling the gunman's words. _I guess he has a point._

Squall turned his attention away from Irvine and looked around at the clock tower.

_Can't hear anything from in here…_ he thought as he gazed around at the walls. _…What's going on with the parade, I wonder?_

Thinking about the parade reminded him of Seifer. The swordsman stopped and laid his hand on his hip again.

_Seifer… So he's alive._

Squall moved to stand by one of the hologram stands. He sat down on it and then looked over at Rinoa, sitting across from him, deep in thought. Squall wondered… Should he tell her about Seifer? Would she be happy to hear that he was still alive, after all?

"Rinoa," he began. Rinoa looked up at him. "Seifer's alive. He was in the parade with the sorceress."

Somehow Rinoa did not seem thrilled to hear the news, nor did she seem surprised. After her failure with the sorceress, there was little that could surprise her now. "…What does it mean?" she asked him.

Squall shrugged. "Who knows?" he admitted.

He then looked down and frowned. _If I were to face the sorceress directly…_ he thought. _Would I have to go through Seifer?_ The swordsman shook his head and sighed. _…That's the way it goes as a SeeD. You can't choose your enemies._

"I may end up killing Seifer," he told her, looking up.

Rinoa's shoulders tensed. She drew her legs up, kicked them in the air for a second or two and then swung them back down. She lowered her head.

"You're both… prepared, right?" She raised her head and looked at him. "That's the kind of world you live in. You've had a lot of emotional training. But… Of course," she added quickly averting her gaze, "I'd rather it not happen…"

Squall could not answer her. He raised his head and looked at the ceiling. Was he prepared? He had trained all his life for moments like this. Seifer was a Balamb Garden student, a comrade. Yet he had chosen to side with the sorceress. That choice made him an enemy. On that point, Squall figured he probably could kill Seifer, if it was necessary. It was, as Rinoa said, the kind of world he lived in.

But did he want to kill Seifer…?

"It's all up to Irvine," Squall said simply.

Rinoa did not reply. Squall left her and walked over to Irvine. The gunman was still sitting on the floor, the rifle resting against his shoulder. His hat had fallen forward, so Squall could not see his face.

What he could see, though, was that Irvine was trembling.

Squall knelt down. _Huh… Is he freakin' out!_ "Don't tell me you're getting the jitters," he said.

Irvine raised his head. His face was green and drenched in sweat. He shivered.

"I… I can't do it," he confessed.

Squall slapped his hand against his forehead, unable to believe his ears.

No… Not now…!


	35. Part 03: Chapter 32

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

While Squall and Irvine were making their way into the Presidential Residence, Quistis and her group continued to make their way through the sewers. They were forced to move quickly, without slowing or stopping, for time was running out. The parade had begun, and it would not be long before the parade vehicle returned to the residence and made its final run towards the gateway. No matter what, they had to make it back to the gateway before that happened.

It was difficult to navigate through the sewers. Each section appeared identical to the next, and there were no signposts to mark their way. They were forced to guess their location by listening to the sounds coming from above, or from what glimpses of the city they could see through the overhead grates.

As many of the gates were locked, they followed the only paths open to them. When they found their way was blocked they used the waterwheels to jump to different platforms. They had no idea if they were going the right way, but as long as they could find some way out of these sewers, then they could make their way back to the gateway. Or so they hoped.

There was another problem, as monsters also prowled the sewer depths. Red Bats, like the ones in the Fire Cavern, gathered in groups and clung to the sewer walls. They watched the group as they ran along.

More dangerous though were the Creeps. These monsters were almost invisible, their bodies dark and flat as shadows. Like their name suggested, they crept along the walls and the floor, blending into the darkness. Only their maniacal laughter and piercing red eyes betrayed their presence. They moved swift, keeping to the shadows, waiting for their chance to strike.

A number of Creeps had taken residence in the sewers. One of them tried to attack Zell when he stopped for breath. The only warning it gave was its laugh before it zipped out of the shadows and attacked. It was almost upon Zell when Quistis cracked her whip, driving the monster away. They hurried on.

After running for a while, Quistis called for a breather. They checked the area for Creeps and Red Bats and, once they were sure they were clear, relaxed.

Quistis leaned against the wall, panting hard. She looked up at a grate in the ceiling. Through it, she could see nothing but a cloudy sky. The music was still playing, and the cheers had died down a little. Where were they? Were they anywhere near the gateway at all?

While she was thinking, Zell went over to the edge of the walkway. He knelt down at the water's edge and looked into the water. Seeing the water flow by made him realise how thirsty he was… and hungry. The water looked clean enough, but he did not dare drink it. Instead he wiped the sweat from his brow and sighed.

Selphie walked over to him. She sat down beside him and hung her legs over the side, kicking them against the wall.

"You think we'll make it out of here in time?" she asked him.

The fighter shrugged. "Who knows?" he replied. "This place is huge. We could come out anywhere." He picked up a rock.

Selphie stretched out her foot and dipped the toe of her boot into the water, causing it to ripple. "I wonder if Rinoa's all right…" she whispered.

Zell did not reply. Behind them, Quistis unhooked her whip and wound the tail around her hand. She pulled it tight and then gave it a loud _crack_, making Zell and Selphie jump.

"There's nothing we can do about Rinoa right now," Quistis said. She pulled her whip back and began to wind it again. "We'll just have to trust her and hope that she's all right. Besides, Squall and Irvine should be in the residence by now. Perhaps she's with them." She hooked the whip back onto her belt and placed her hand on her hip. "Come on. Break's over. We have to hurry."

Selphie nodded and got to her feet. Zell threw the rock he was holding into the water and got up as well. They hurried on.

A number of gates, Creeps and waterwheels later, the group reached the end of the path. They found themselves in a room with yet another churning wheel, with no other way out. Just as they were about to give up all hopes of getting out, they spotted a ladder at the back of the room. It led to a hatch, which would take them out of the sewers.

Without any hesitation, the three climbed up. When they reached the top they found themselves not on the street as they had hoped, but inside an empty room. They recognised it at once, and they could not believe their luck. This was the lower room of the gateway. Their path had taken them right inside the gateway! The ladder continued to head up, so they followed it to the very top to the gateway control room.

Inside the control room there was a large slit window that provided a large view of the city and the Presidential Residence. Upon climbing off the ladder, Zell ran to the window and peered out. He could see the Presidential clock clearly. The time was 19:59.

"Phew!" he said, and sighed in relief. "We just made it."

Selphie joined him by the window. Together they looked down. Right on cue, the parade vehicle was approaching the gate. The costumed performers continued to dance in front and behind the car. The sorceress, still reclined in her throne, looked around at the cheering crowds.

The clock struck 20:00. As it did so, the roof of the Presidential Residence opened. The clock tower lit up and started to rise. Inside, Squall looked up as everything around him burst into life. Rinoa stepped away from the stands as holographic projections of circus figures appeared over them and began to turn. A melody started to play, and the figures turned in time with the music.

Zell and Selphie saw the clock tower rise. They then looked down and watched as the parade vehicle started to pass under the gateway. When it passed under the first of the two gates, Zell turned to Quistis.

"Instructor, now!" he called to her. "Hit the switch!"

Quistis, standing by the console, nodded and threw the switch. The gateway shuddered as the gates were released and dropped, one by one.

The first gate slammed down in front of the parade vehicle, and the car stopped. Sorceress Edea rose out of her throne. When she saw the gate blocking her way, her face twisted into an expression of rage. The sorceress then turned as the second gate dropped down behind her. She was trapped inside the gateway.

Up in the gateway, Selphie, still by the window, held her breath. Quistis and Zell joined her. They looked at the Presidential Residence. Everything was in place. All that was left was for Irvine to shoot and finish her off.

* * *

"Irvine Kinneas!" shouted Squall.

The swordsman was losing patience. The clock tower had risen, and the sorceress was trapped inside the gateway. It had not gone entirely to plan, but they had made it here nonetheless. The only problem now was Irvine.

Irvine had completely frozen. His face was pale and sweating, and his hands gripped the sniper rifle so tight that Squall feared he might break it in two.

"I… I can't…" the gunman said. His voice was trembling. "I'm sorry. I just can't do it. I always freeze like this… I try to act cool, joke around, but I just can't handle the pressure…" He took a deep, shuddering breath.

Squall shook his head, unable to believe what he was hearing. "Forget it," he snapped, none too kindly. "Just shoot."

"My bullet… The sorceress… I'll go down in history." Irvine's hands twisted around the rifle. His knuckles turned white. "I'd change the history of Galbadia… Of the world!" He turned away from Squall, lowering his head. "It's all too much…"

"Enough!" shouted Squall, his patience lost. "Just shoot!"

"I can't, dammit!" Irvine shouted back at him. He put a trembling hand to his mouth, feeling suddenly sick. He looked away from Squall, breathing deeply.

Squall took a mental step backwards. He took a deep breath and let it out. Although he was aware of the time ticking away, he tried to control his impatience. "Irvine," he said, in a calmer tone. "Calm down. Everyone's waiting on you. I don't care if you miss. Whatever happens, just leave the rest to us." An idea then came to him and he added: "Just think of it as a signal. A sign for us to make our move."

Irvine paused. His eyes darted left and right as he mulled it over. His trembling ceased. He looked up.

"Just a signal…" he whispered.

_That's it,_ Squall thought with a nod. He gestured. "Please."

He waited for the gunman to respond. Time was ticking rapidly away from them. The clock tower would not stay up forever, and the sorceress would soon realise what was going on. If Irvine did not shoot her now, they would lose their chance.

At last, Irvine moved. He shifted onto his knees and knelt by the wall. He paused, and then raised the rifle. He pressed the butt against his shoulder and pointed the rifle over the edge. Holding one hand beneath the barrel to steady it, he peered down the sight. He could see Sorceress Edea as she stepped out from behind her throne. Her head turned left and then right, looking around her. She did not seem to have figured it out yet. Seeing her there, Irvine felt his heart clench.

Once again, he hesitated. "…Just a sign," he told himself.

Irvine shook his head. He then raised the rifle and took aim. He focused the sight on Edea's chest, right over her heart. He pulled the trigger and fired.

At the last instant Sorceress Edea realised what was going on. She raised her hand, and the bullet bounced off a magic shield. The bullet landed on the floor by her feet, squashed flat. The sorceress lowered her arm.

Irvine threw up his hands. The sniper rifle clattered onto the floor. Irvine sat back and turned his head to Squall. "…I'm sorry," he said.

Squall shook his head. "It's okay," he replied. "Your aim was perfect. Just leave the rest up to me. I'm goin' in for the sorceress. Irvine, Rinoa, just be ready to back me up."

The swordsman stood up and turned. Rinoa was standing behind him. She looked at him, her face torn and full of concern. Squall turned back to Irvine.

"Take care of Rinoa," he said. Irvine nodded, understanding.

Squall turned from him and climbed onto the wall. Rinoa ran to the wall's edge as Squall jumped off and landed on the podium below.

Squall ran to the front of the podium. Down below, the crowd were in a state of panic. The attempt on the sorceress' life had thrown everything into utter chaos, just as they expected. The residence gates were still open, and people now swarmed through, filling the grounds. The soldiers were doing their best to keep the crowd in line, but things were growing out of control real fast. Squall drew his gunblade. He needed to finish this quickly, before everything descended into mindless madness. Raising his gunblade over his head, he leapt from the podium.

Right beneath the podium, a lone Galbadian soldier fought hard to restrain the terrified crowd. A shadow fell over him. He looked up and caught a glimpse of Squall as he descended from above. Squall brought down his sword, smashing the flat side of the blade against the soldier's helmet. The soldier crumpled, but Squall did not waste any time with him. He made his way through the crowds, left the Presidential Residence and ran out into the street.

A blue car was parked near the entrance. Squall leapt into it. The keys were still in the ignition. Squall turned them and the engine roared into life. Squall spared a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure that no one was standing behind before he drove the car away from the residence and headed down the street. The people moved aside as he drove by, giving him a clear path to the gateway.

Once he cleared the crowd, Squall switched gears and pushed down on the accelerator. The car sped up.

When he neared the gateway, Squall spun the steering wheel and forced the car into a sideways skid. The wheels screeched. The car slammed into the gates. Squall climbed out of the driver's seat and crawled across the car to the gates. He slipped through between the bars and entered the gateway. Approaching the parade vehicle from behind, he began to climb to the top.

After deflecting the bullet that was meant to kill her, Sorceress Edea had returned to the front of the vehicle to wait.

Kneeling in front of her… was Seifer.

Seifer looked up as Squall jumped down from above and landed in front of him and the sorceress. A grin appeared on Seifer's face, and his fingers curled around the hilt of his gunblade.

Sorceress Edea turned her head and looked down at Squall. When her eyes fell on him they opened wide and then narrowed, hard and full of hate. Her lips twisted into an ominous sneer.

So it had begun.


	36. Part 03: Chapter 33

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**Emerald Princess of Vernea**

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

"Well," said Seifer, "this is how it turned out."

Squall stood up and looked at Seifer. He then looked at Sorceress Edea, standing behind him. Her face was unreadable now but Squall could have sworn that, for a moment, a look of anger had passed over her face when she saw him.

"So you've become the sorceress' lapdog," he observed, turning back to Seifer.

Seifer grinned. He also stood up. "I prefer to be called her knight," he said. He placed his hand on his hip and leered down at Squall, his smile growing wider. "This has always been my dream."

Squall said nothing. He drew his gunblade. The time for talk was over. Sorceress' lapdog or sorceress' knight, it made no difference. Seifer had made his choice. Squall had no alternative. If Seifer was so determined to protect the sorceress, then Squall would force his way through. He raised his sword and held it ready.

Seifer looked at the gunblade and then at Squall. Somehow he had known this day would come: the day when he and Squall clashed swords as enemies and not rivals. Seifer raised his own gunblade and pointed it at Squall.

"Squall," he said, "you're mine!"

He then ran at Squall and stabbed with his sword. Squall jumped back and off the parade vehicle, landing on the ground in front of it. Squall looked up as Seifer walked to the end of the vehicle and also jumped off. He landed in front of Squall and raised his sword again. The two walked around each other, blades raised.

"So, I assume the instructor and chicken-wuss are here, too?" Seifer asked.

"That's none of your business!" Squall said back, and he charged at Seifer.

Seifer smirked. He also charged. The two met, and their blades clashed. They pushed against each other before separating and then clashing again.

Seifer sidestepped, letting Squall pass him by. Pulling back his sword, he channelled _Fire_ into the gunblade. There was a _whoosh_ and flames swept across the blade. Seifer then turned and thrust out his sword, aiming for Squall's head.

Squall tilted his head to the side and dodged the blow. He felt the searing heat of the flames burn across his cheek. With his sword he knocked Seifer's gunblade aside and lunged at Seifer, trying to strike him while his guard was down. Seifer was faster, however, and was able to twist his body out of the way. The swordsman turned and nimbly moved behind Squall. With the hilt of his gunblade he struck Squall on the back of the head, causing him to stagger forwards.

With Squall off-balance, Seifer clenched his fist and summoned _Fire _into his hand. A fireball formed around his fist, and when he punched out the ball flew from his hand and headed for Squall.

Seeing the light of the flames in the corner of his eye, Squall stamped one foot onto the ground and spun himself around. He raised his sword as he moved, swinging it in a large arc.

The blade sliced through the fireball, and when it was partway through Squall pulled on the gunblade's trigger. The fireball burst and split wide open, emitting bright rays of blinding light. Seifer raised his arm to shield his eyes, and when he lowered his arm he saw Squall running towards him through the dissipating flames. The swordsman swung his sword and Seifer barely had time to raise his weapon before Squall's gunblade clashed against his own.

The moments that followed were almost a blur, as the gateway was filled with the sounds of battle. Sparks flew from the two gunblades as they sliced against each other time and again, as Squall and Seifer struck and blocked, casting magic and dodging blows. The two swordsmen fought on equal ground, each as strong as the other, and each as determined to win.

Sorceress Edea was watching the fight from the parade vehicle. Her face, cold and beautiful, remained blank. She showed no emotion at all as she watched the two men fight. There was not a flicker of feeling in her eyes. Her eyes were like glass, seeing but not really watching, as though her thoughts were elsewhere.

Edea watched as Seifer cast another fireball at Squall, who knocked it aside with his sword. The fireball flew past Edea and struck the back of the parade vehicle, setting it alight. The sorceress did not even flinch. Smoke drifted past her, and the light of the flames illuminated her face, yet it provided no warmth.

Below her, Squall ducked down and kicked out with his feet. He knocked the swordsman off his feet. Seifer dropped his sword and fell onto the ground. Seeing his chance to finish it, Squall stood over him and raised his sword over his head. Seifer rolled over as the blade came down, and got back onto his feet.

Squall was upon him before Seifer could have a chance to strike. The swordsman brought his sword in an upwards arc. Seifer blocked it, but the force behind the strike was so powerful that it forced Seifer's gunblade up into the air, leaving him exposed. Squall punched and struck Seifer in the jaw, sending him reeling.

Squall unleashed a flurry of strikes and swings. He left no room for Seifer to retaliate, focusing only on driving him back. It worked. With each strike Seifer found himself being forced to back away, keeping out of reach of Squall's sword.

When he was near the parade vehicle, Squall stopped attacking and jumped back. He called _Blizzard_ into his fist, and even as the ice crystals started to form Squall clenched his fist and slammed it into the ground. On contact, a number of icy stalagmites burst out of the ground, heading towards Seifer. Seifer saw them coming and leapt further back to avoid being impaled on the rising ice.

Switching elements, Squall now called _Fire_ into his gunblade. Flames swept across the blade. Squall raised it over his head and brought it down on the ice. The flames shot from the blade to the ice. The intense heat caused the ice to crack and then explode, one by one in rapid succession. The explosion hit Seifer, picked him up off the ground and threw him backwards. He flew over the parade vehicle. Squall waved his hand. Seifer landed on top of the vehicle, landing at the sorceress' feet. Sorceress Edea did not even blink.

Squall walked through the dying flames and climbed up onto the parade vehicle. He stood in front of Seifer, who was struggling to his feet. Squall looked down at him as he raised his gunblade again, ready to continue the fight.

Slowly, Seifer got back onto his feet. His coat was black with soot from the flames. His face, cut from the shards of ice, was bleeding and sore. One shard had cut his lip, and blood trickled down his chin. Seifer coughed and staggered. Thrusting the tip of his sword into the car's roof, he pushed himself upright. The sound of the explosion still rang in his ears, sending his senses reeling.

When he felt he was steady enough, Seifer withdrew his sword and walked forward. As soon as he moved, a sharp spasm shot through his body. His muscles contracted sharply. His legs crumpled, and Seifer was forced to lean against his sword again. He coughed again, and his vision blurred. He tried to move, but his muscles were so tight he could hardly move.

"I… lost…!" he asked himself, his voice hoarse. He forced his head up and looked at Squall.

The swordsman stood before him, his sword up and ready. Around Squall's right hand, _Thunder_ crackled. So that was it… As the explosion sent him flying, Squall had switched elements again and sent a small charge of _Thunder_ through Seifer's body. The shock was delayed, and he only noticed it when he tried to move. Now he was helpless, barely able to move or defend himself. Seifer's hand slipped from the sword and sank to his knees. His eyes narrowed, angry.

Seeing that Seifer was unable to continue, Squall lowered his sword. "You're losing it, Seifer," he commented.

Seifer's head snapped up. He scowled, his blue eyes blazing. His teeth ground together. He could not believe it. He had lost… to Squall!

His fight with Seifer done, Squall turned his gaze to the sorceress. Sorceress Edea was looking at him now. Her blank face was turned towards him and her empty eyes were fixed upon him. She did not even look at Seifer. The sorceress looked Squall up and down, taking him in.

"…A SeeD…" she said. Squall could hear the disgust in her voice as she said the word. "Planted in a rundown Garden."

As she spoke, the blank mask that covered Edea's face melted away. Her eyes hardened, her brows drew together, and her lips twisted into a dark and terrible scowl. She walked forward. She passed by Seifer, who was still trying to drag himself to his feet. Edea waved her hand at him. Seifer saw the gesture and nodded. Forcing himself to stand, he retreated back to the throne.

The sorceress stopped and looked to her left as Irvine and Rinoa ran around the side of the vehicle. They climbed up and stood on either side of Squall. Their weapons were already drawn, ready to back Squall up as instructed.

"I can fight if I'm with you!" Rinoa said to Squall. "That's why I'm here."

Irvine clicked his gun-barrel shut. "…I have to redeem myself," he said.

Squall looked at Rinoa, to his left, and at Irvine, to his right. He then turned back to the sorceress and raised his sword.

Edea looked back at him. Her gaze drifted to Irvine and then Rinoa, before turning her eyes back to Squall. Her scowl deepened. "…The accursed SeeD."

Edea extended her hand and held it out to the side. The flames on the back of the vehicle flickered as they were pulled away, drawn to Edea's hand. They swirled around her hand and her fingers, spinning faster and growing larger.

Seeing this, Seifer moved himself as quickly as possible around to the rear of the sorceress' throne. There he stopped and peered around the side. His gaze fell on Squall and then on Rinoa. Seifer stared at her. So, Rinoa was here, as well.

The flames around Edea's hand darkened and grew larger still, becoming more powerful. She turned her palm towards them, and the flames were drawn to the centre of her hand. They condensed, transforming from _Fire_ to _Fira_ and then into_ Firaga,_ the most powerful form of _Fire _magic.

Squall, Irvine and Rinoa braced themselves. This was it. The battle with the sorceress was about to begin.

When the magic transformation was complete, Sorceress Edea swept out her hand and released the _Firaga_ fireball, sending it flying towards Squall. The swordsman did not dodge but swung his sword and cut the fireball in two. The two halves flew past and hit the gateway gates behind him. The gates shook, and the bars glowed red with the heat. Smoke sifted out from between the gates and drifted up to the night sky.

The sorceress swept her hand back and a second fireball flew from her fingertips. This one was aimed at Rinoa. She dropped to the ground, and the fireball flew over her. It struck the fall wall, causing the whole gateway to shudder.

Rinoa was still on the ground. She raised her arm and released her Pinwheel. The projectile zipped through the air towards the sorceress. Edea thrust out her hand and a _Protect _barrier flashed up in front of her. The Pinwheel struck the barrier, leaving nothing but a ripple on the barrier's surface. Rinoa flicked her wrist and the Pinwheel came swerving back to her.

On Edea's other side, Irvine opened fire. Without turning her head, Edea raised her other arm and a second barrier rose in front of her. The bullets hit the barrier and bounced off, also leaving no marks on its surface. When Irvine paused to reload his gun the sorceress lowered her barrier and waved her hand. A third fireball formed and flew from her fingertips. Like Rinoa, Irvine also dropped and rolled out of the way, and the fireball smashed into the wall behind.

With the sorceress' attention on his comrades, Squall ran at her from the front. Sorceress Edea's head snapped around to face him and she thrust out her hand. Squall swung his sword even as her _Protect_ barrier rose. His sword hit the barrier and was flung back, carrying Squall with it. The swordsman hit the ground, climbed back onto his feet, and ran at the sorceress again.

He brought his sword down on the barrier. Again the sword bounced, and again Squall was flung away. He got back onto his feet and raised his sword, ready to try again to break through her barrier.

Sorceress Edea brought her palms together and then raised one hand into the air. Lightning started to crackle around her feet, moving up past her legs, her waist, her chest and then finally to her arm. The sparks were drawn to her hand, collecting around her fingertips. They intensified, and their light became blinding. Like the _Firaga_ magic, the lightning grew in strength, changing from _Thunder_ to _Thundara_ and then to _Thundaga_.

When the spell was complete Edea lowered her hand and pointed at the party. The _Thundaga_ magic shot from her fingers and headed straight towards them. Squall raised his sword to shield himself from the blast.

The lightning storm struck. The gateway shuddered, and the air became charged with electrical energy. The bolts spread, striking the walls and the ground, and the gates. One bolt hit the doorway leading into the gateway and fused the lock. Quistis, Zell and Selphie, still inside, were unable to escape. More bolts struck the gates, still glowing hot from the _Firaga_ magic. More than one bar snapped in two and fell away from the gate, and more smoke billowed out of the gateway.

Despite all the damage that was being done to the gateway, not a single bolt hit Squall or the others. Squall opened his eyes and looked ahead.

There was a shield in front of him, which formed the instant the _Thundaga_ magic struck. Bolts of lightning struck the shield but did not penetrate. Instead the bolts were reflected, bouncing off the shield and thrown back at the sorceress.

Sorceress Edea only just managed to raise her defences in time. Instead of a _Protect_ barrier, she called up a _Shell_ barrier to minimise the reflected magic's effects. When the bolts struck the barrier flashed bright, blocking the sorceress from their sight.

Squall looked around. The shield in front of him was still up. What had caused it?

He looked over at Rinoa. She was kneeling on the ground close to him. There was another shield in front of her, which had risen at the same time as Squall's. Rinoa's eyes were wide as she stared at the shield, just as confused as he was.

Squall then turned to Irvine. Like himself and Rinoa, Irvine also had a reflective shield in front of him, and something else as well.

Hovering behind the shield was the GF Carbuncle, whom they had drawn from the Iguion. A giant, red ruby on the GF's forehead sparkled as he cast his reflective magic upon the party. Squall stared in amazement. He had drawn the GF from the Iguion, but there had not been time to share that pact with Irvine or Rinoa. Was it possible that Carbuncle had chosen to share its bond with Irvine and Rinoa of its own accord on the moment of drawing?

The ruby's shimmering light faded, and the barriers protecting the three fighters faded. Carbuncle, his task complete, dived into a hole that had opened up in the roof of the car and disappeared.

The bolts of lightning striking the sorceress' own barrier flickered and died out. The sorceress lowered her barrier and swept her hand through the air in Irvine's direction. Something, much like a slap, struck Irvine across the face. It sent a shocking, numbing cold through his cheek and jaw, and the gunman staggered. He clutched at his cheek, and when he brought his hand away he saw that there were traces of blood on his glove. It was an astral-like strike. The sorceress could do damage without ever coming into contact with them.

Sorceress Edea lowered her hand. Her eyes turned right and she swept out her other hand. Rinoa, who was on her feet again and about to release her Pinwheel, was flung backwards. Her Pinwheel fired and swerved off-course, missing the sorceress entirely.

Rinoa staggered back to the edge of the roof. Her feet slipped off the edge and she started to fall back.

"Rinoa!" called Squall, and he ran towards her.

A _Fira_ ball, cast by the sorceress, flew towards him. The swordsman did not slow but swerved out of the way of the ball. He reached out and grabbed Rinoa's hand. She held onto him as he pulled her back onto the vehicle. When she was safe Squall stood in front of her and turned back to the sorceress.

Sorceress Edea was watching them. Her eyes met Squall's, and the swordsman had to suppress a shudder. Her eyes were like glass, with no feeling at all behind them. It was like Squall was looking into an endless void, as though all feeling and time stopped at those eyes. Meanwhile, Edea was able to see through those eyes and look right through him, as though he was not even there. It was an unnerving and chilling sensation.

The sorceress raised her hand. Flames started to move around her fingers.

"Brace yourself!" Squall warned Rinoa. She nodded and raised her fists.

The flames intensified. Irvine fired a shot to distract her, but Edea just raised her other hand and raised her _Protect_ barrier. The bullet bounced off. The flames gave a roar as they grew larger and became _Firaga._ With a wave of her hand the flames shot out, heading towards Squall and Rinoa.

The moment he realised what was happening, Squall cast _Blizzard._ The ground froze over and a wall of ice burst up from the ground in front of him and Rinoa. The flames hit, and the ice gave a groan. Cracks formed in its surface and the centre started to glow as the heat of the flames started to melt the wall away.

Rinoa placed her hand over Squall's. She also cast _Blizzard_, and the two energies merged to form into _Blizzara_, mid-level _Blizzard_ magic. More ice rose from the ground and covered the wall, making it thicker and stronger. The ice continued to crack but it held firm. Squall and Rinoa worked together to keep the ice going—replenishing the ice as quickly as it was being melted by the fire.

Irvine finished reloading his shotgun and fired at the sorceress. His bullets, a combination of ordinary and magic-enhanced ones, bounced off the sorceress' shields without leaving any damage. Both the _Shell _and_ Protect_ barriers worked in unison to keep his shots from reaching the sorceress. Edea did not even seem to pay attention to what he was doing; her attention was only on Squall and Rinoa.

_Firaga_ magic continued to flow from Sorceress Edea's fingers. It started to overwhelm the ice wall shielding Squall and Rinoa. The number of cracks in the wall's surface increased, and the glow from the flames was growing brighter as it forced its way through.

Realising that their ice shield was failing, Rinoa turned to Squall and shouted: "Keep it up! I'll summon Shiva!"

Squall could barely hear her over the roar of the flames, but he nodded anyway. Rinoa pulled back, and Squall sheathed his sword before holding out his other hand. He poured more energy into the barrier, trying his best to keep it going.

Stepping back away from Squall, Rinoa summoned Shiva. An ice-cloud swirled around her before gathering in front of her. The cloud compacted, forming into the body of Shiva. The clouds then parted, leaving Shiva in its place. The GF raised her hands over her head and arched her back.

"Squall!" yelled Rinoa. "Move out of the way, now!"

The swordsman jumped back, just as Shiva threw down her arms and cast her magic into the barrier. A rising ride of ice burst from beneath her feet and swept across the roof of the vehicle. It shattered the ice wall and cut through the flames, making its way towards the sorceress.

Sorceress Edea lowered her arm, and the swirling flames around her hand flickered and died out. She raised her barriers. The ice struck, slamming into the barriers with an audible _thud._ The ice encircled her and then grew up and over her, sealing her inside. Shiva stood up straight and clenched her fist. The ice condensed, drawn sharply inwards, forming a compact dome over the sorceress.

Squall lowered his sword, watching the ice barrier. The ice was thick; all he could see of Edea was a faint shadow. Rinoa came to stand beside him, and Irvine also ran over to join his two comrades. The three stood together and waited.

A light flashed inside of the ice. A second flash followed it, and a crack appeared in the dome's surface. More flashes followed, and with each flash more cracks appeared in the ice. A loud rumble of thunder sounded from within the ice. Squall and the others braced themselves.

The ice exploded, and a storm of lightning erupted from within. At the storm's centre stood the sorceress, her arms spread and her body cloaked in a coat of lightning that seemed to come from every part of her body. The thick ruffle of fur that framed her shoulders moved about as the static energy emanating from the lightning bolts passed over Edea's body. They flickered and flashed and then drew back towards her, gathering in her open hands.

The sorceress' eyes were ablaze with fury. _"Thundaga!"_ she said in a bellowing voice. She thrust out her hands and unleashed the storm in all its fury.

Squall and the others cried out as the lightning bolts struck. There was no reflective barrier to protect them this time, so they took the attack full-on. The bolts hit Shiva, who screamed as her body was electrified by the lightning. Her body shattered, breaking up into shards of ice. The bolts hit them and then spread out to strike the rest of the gateway. The entire structure shook, and the gateway filled with blinding light.

Smoke drifted through the gates. The air of Deling City was thick with the scent of smoke, as the riots in the streets grew more and more intense. The soldiers had lost control of the crowds, and everything had descended into disorder. The blinding light faded, and the gateway plunged into darkness.

Inside the gateway, Squall opened his eyes. He breathed, and he could still taste the static energy on his tongue. The swordsman struggled to his feet. His muscles were tight, making it difficult to move, and sparks still flickered across his body.

On either side of him, Rinoa and Irvine were also fighting to stand. Charges of electricity also flickered over their bodies, but like Squall, they refused to give up. The sorceress was powerful, her magic immeasurable. Even a GF could not contain this sorceress. Her reflexes were sharp; she could switch between attack and defence in the blink of an eye. She was also merciless, and did not hold back. She stood before them, her body also still flickering with traces of lightning. The blazing fury in her eyes was gone now, and gazed at them blankly.

Squall managed to get back onto his feet. Though his body fought against him, he raised his sword and charged at Edea.

The sorceress swept out her hand. An astral strike hit Squall across the face. He stumbled, then spun on his heel and charged at her again. The sorceress, not expecting this, did not have time to raise her _Protect _barrier in time.

Fire _whooshed_ across Squall's gunblade as he thrust it into the barrier. The flames pierced it, and Squall's sword passed through the barrier. Sorceress Edea looked down at the blade as it stopped just inches from her chest. She looked at Squall and met his gaze. Squall frowned and pulled the gunblade's trigger.

A blast erupted from within the barrier, and it filled with flames. The barrier cracked and then shattered into shards of light, releasing the explosion within. Squall was picked up and thrown away by the blast. He hit the floor and skidded over to Rinoa and Irvine, who knelt down to catch him. They helped Squall to his feet, and turned back to the sorceress.

The flames started to disperse. They saw Sorceress Edea, standing at the heart of the flames, keeping over with her hand pressed against her side. It was a lucky blow. Squall's sudden strike, combined with the prolonged use of her magic, had weakened the sorceress' defences, causing them to shatter. For all her powerful magicks, Edea was still human. Like Squall and the others, she too was prone to fatigue and weakness. It was this that ultimately caused her defences to break.

Sorceress Edea took her hand away from her side and forced herself to stand upright. A single bead of sweat trickled down her forehead. The sorceress raised her eyes and narrowed them at Squall. Her lips twisted, turning into a scowl.

"Impudent SeeDs!" she hissed.

A faint blue light appeared in front of the sorceress. It shimmered for a moment before drifting down to her feet, spreading out around her like a cloud. There was a flash and the light was drawn back again as Sorceress Edea raised her hand. The light swirled around Edea as she raised her hand higher and higher. The light swirled across her arm until it reached her hand. The sorceress spread her fingertips and the light danced over them until it reached the top, where it suddenly disappeared.

Another speck of light appeared. In the centre of the light a tiny ice crystal formed. The ice crystal then grew rapidly and its shape stretched and twisted, transforming itself into a long spear of ice. When it reached half the length of Edea's arm the spear split itself into three, creating three spears. These grew longer still, until they were the full length of Edea's arm.

Sorceress Edea looked at the three standing before her. She then lowered her arm and cast the spears away. They _whizzed_ through the air towards them.

Rinoa twisted her body aside. The left-side spear whistled as it passed her by. Irvine jumped out of the way, the right-side spear missing him by inches.

The third spear hit Squall in the right side of his chest. It ran through him, piercing his clothes and his flesh until it came through the other side and lodged there. The force of the impact dragged Squall back to the edge of the parade vehicle. An agonising cold, more painful than he could possibly have imagined, ran through his body.

Rinoa turned. When she saw Squall there, impaled by the ice spear, her eyes widened. She screamed out his name, but her voice was lost in the rising cries of the rioting crowds outside.

Sorceress Edea heard Rinoa's cry but did not acknowledge her. The look of anger that crossed her face was gone. In its place: that blank and emotionless mask. Even as she gazed at Squall, impaled by her own magic, she betrayed no feelings. Not a frown or a smile touched her lips. She just stared at him, her eyes empty, and her arm still stretched out in front of her.

Squall gasped and tried to breathe. His breath was short, pained with numbing cold. His vision blurred, and the sounds of the outside became muffled. His strength started to ebb away. His head dropped to his chest, and the last thing he felt was the breath leaving his body.

The swordsman fell from the parade vehicle, with the ice spear still embedded in his chest. Rinoa ran to the edge of the car, but she could not get to him in time. He fell away from her, falling to the ground below.

The last thing saw Squall before he slipped into unconsciousness was Rinoa's face. Her face was full of despair as she leaned far over the edge of the car. She reached out to him, but he could not reach out to her. Her lips moved, shouting his name, but he could no longer hear her. Then everything went dark, and he saw her no more.

All the while, Sorceress Edea watched them, her eyes unblinking.

* * *

**[End of Part Three]**

You have now reached the end of _Final Fantasy 8: The Story._ The story will continue in a separate story titled_ Final Fantasy 8: The Story 2__nd__ Instalment._

**Coming Soon:**

**Final Fantasy 8: The Story 2****nd**** Instalment**

**[Part Four: The Galbadian Missile Base]**

* * *

_**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS**_

This brings us to the end of the first instalment of this fic. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this story; it makes me so happy to know it's being read. I've noticed that I have readers from all across the globe. Thanks to you all!

Also, I know people were probably expecting an epic battle between Squall and Seifer, but I chose not to have one at this point. It didn't also help that those two were completely uncooperative.

Now, there is going to be a month's intermission before I begin work on the second instalment. I am going to spend that month doing some power-drafting on _Crisis Core_, and also some more planning to my original story: _Masters of the Blade._ We are almost in the middle of June, so I will aim to have the second instalment ongoing by the beginning of August.

I hope to see you all then!


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